EuroHockey Junior (under-21) Championship II, men: semi-final: Scotland 2, France 3
EuroHockey Junior (under-21) Championship II, women: Scotland 5, Ukraine 3
Scotland twice let a slender lead slip and it cost them dear as they were edged 3-2 by France in the EuroHockey Junior (under-21) Championship semi-final in Russia.
They led 1-0 after Aidan McQuade who plays for Dundee side Grove Menzieshill slotted from a penalty corner after five minutes but the French side levelled after 29 minutes through William Jeammot also from a penalty corner.
Kyle Gladwin (Cannock) netted the Scots second seven minutes later but two late goals in three nightmare minutes ended the contest.
Xavier Esmenjaud (cor) levelled in 54 minutes and Gaetan Fabron scored the game-winner three minutes later.
Scotland now play Czech Republic in the third/fourth place game on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Scotland coach Neil Menzies saw his under-21 side take the lead after five minutes through Edinburgh University player Laura Swanson.
But the Scots then slumped to 3-1 behind after three unanswered goals in eight first-half minutes.
Scotland hit back with Lexi Sabatelli (Clydesdale Western) scoring after 26 minutes followed by three goals without reply, including two in 60 seconds which stunned the Ukraine side.
Durham University player Lorna Cruickshank scored after 43 minutes and seconds later Mille Steiger (Clydesdale Western) fired the Scots ahead.
Swanson finished off their rivals with a goal after 58 minutes and Menzies said: “Our forwards stepped up and we scored five really good goals and could have had more.
“The decision-making was better and we showed the end product we can produce.
“We have one game to go and we’re looking for a similar outcome. We can cut out the goals we concede and show the same composure in front of goal to finish the tournament on a high.”
Scotland play Poland in their final game on Saturday.
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