Smith double as Scotland open under-21 Euros with win

Ava Smith claimed a glory double and Caterina Nelli added another as Scotland under-21 women opened their EuroHockey Championship 11 campaign with a 3-1 victory over Ukraine in Konya, Turkey.

The Tartan Hearts started well against Ukraine, pressing hard and eight minutes in they opened the scoring.

Mhairi Low (Loughborough University) fed Nelli (Uddingston) who finished well on her reverse stick. Ukraine were, however, proving difficult to break down and the score remained the same until the break.

The European side levelled just after half-time when Veronika Korobkina netted after rounding the Scotland goalkeeper and that provided a spur for Ukraine. Scotland found their unorthodox style difficult.

However, the Tartan team, coached by Jimmy Culnane (pictured centre by Nigel Duncan), found a way and it was Smith (The University of Edinburgh) who was in the right place at the right time to send the ball home for 2-1 and the same player claimed a third deep into the game with a reverse stick finish.

Smith and Nelli may have scored but, at the other end of the pitch, a stand-out player for the Scots was Uddingston player Anna McWilliams and they go into Wednesday’s clash with Poland with spirits raised.

Poland edged hosts Turkey 2-1 in their opener.

In Lausanne, Switzerland, Scotland’s under-21 men thrashed Finland 4-0 in their Champion II opener thanks to goals from Jack Adams, Ben Galloway, Jedd Campbell and Tommy Austin. They face the Czech Republic in their second game.