Home Internationals 2017 - Over 70

This was the second Senior Grand Masters tournament, and Scotland Senior Grand Masters were defending second place over Wales, gained only on goal difference in the 2016 tournament. As Ireland were still not yet ready to field an Over 70 team, the Australia Over 70 squad played as guests in the competition held at King George V Playing Fields, Swansea on 30 June to 2 July 2017. Scotland Senior Grand Masters had been badly hit by withdrawals and had only eleven players in their first match, against Wales. David Cassell came into the squad for the remaining two matches.

A great performance against Wales gave Scotland a clear second place in the tournament, England proving once again too strong for a depleted Scotland side.

Friday 30 June

Wales O70

Scotland O70

1 (Crichton)

On Friday 30 June 2017, Scotland Over 70s, with only eleven players, carried on where they left off in the Celtic Cup in Cork by beating Wales 1-0 in their first match. It was an impressive display of the kind of hockey coach Murray Paton has been working towards, and the goal was a great example of how to play the ball quickly out of defence and set up a team goal. Alan Bremner at left back started the move and passed to sweeper Ian Downie, who in turn switched the ball to Robbie Robbie Robertson. The speed at which the ball moved caught out the Welsh midfield and Robbie fed Kieran McLernan at centre midfield. Kieran drove forward through the Welsh midfield and found Roy Crichton on the left. Roy took the ball into the circle and beat the keeper with a fine reverse stick shot. Before that, Duncan Mitchell made great contact with a cross ball and only a superb save by the Welsh keeper stopped him from opening the scoring. In the second half, Donald Paterson found himself one on one on the home keeper but could not find the angle to put it past him, either from his first shot or from the rebound which came straight back to him. In the latter part of the match, Wales had their best spell of the game, putting up a third forward and pressing hard, but they were unable to penetrate the Scottish defence and the match finished with Scotland holding their vital lead.

Saturday 1 July

England O70

Scotland O70

With only twelve players, David Cassell having joined the squad, Scotland were always going to struggle against a full England squad of eighteen players. David Cassell took over at centre back from Ian Downie, who moved to right back while Robbie Robertson switched from right back to left back. England forced a total of sixteen short corners during the match but failed to score from any of them - a notable achievement by the Scottish penalty corner defence. The first quarter was almost over before England scored through Stephen Stowell, and Scotland continued to resist strongly in the second quarter, finally conceding in the dying seconds through Lloyd Wood. The third quarter resulted in another goal for England scored by the same player. England had rested a good number of their starting players during the third quarter but they reverted to their starting line up in the fourth quarter and put enormous pressure on Scotland's tiring midfield. Stephen Stowell scored his second goal virtually from the restart, but Scotland resisted manfully until two minutes from the end, when Stephen scored his hat trick goal, and straight from the restart scored another from the penalty spot. Right on the final whistle, Gordon Small made it seven for England. Scotland can be proud of the resistance they put up and not a man left the pitch with anything left in the tank.

Sunday 2 July

Scotland O70

Australia O70

With second place in the tournament virtually in the bag after their win against Wales (barring a freak result in the final match between Wales and England), Scotland took on Australia in the early morning of the last day, the match being played as a friendly. The effort Scotland had put into the two competition matches seemed to have conspired, along with the early start, to make the Scottish players forget much of what they had been taught by coach Murray Paton. Tired legs meant that players did not show for the ball as they had in the first two matches, and Scotland found themselves bogged down and unable to break down a very solid Australian midfield. As on the day before, Scotland faced a large squad of seventeen players with only one substitute, and there was no respite as Australia rang the changes. Two goals in the first quarter from Ken Walter and Simon Williams from short corner moves set Australia off towards victory, and though Scotland held them out until half time and did not concede in the third quarter, Australia were not to be denied. They finished off Scotland with a Bill Osborne goal from open play at the start of the final period, followed by two goals in the last five minutes from Barry Paice with another short corner goal and Peter Andrews. It was a disappointing performance from Scotland who must learn to maintain their shape even when dog tired, as all the players were in this match.

Final Standings

	P	W	L	F	A	Pt	GD
England	2	2	0	11	0	6	11
Scotland	2	0	1	1	7	3	-6
Wales	2	0	2	0	5	0	-5

Squad

Alan Bremner, David Cassell, Roy Crichton, Nigel Dixon, Ian Downie, Kieran McLernan, David Margerison, Duncan Mitchell*, Donald Paterson, Robbie Robertson, Murdoch Shirreffs, Sandy Weir

* underage player