Hockey
RHONA Simpson has taken a long time to produce her undoubted class at the women's World Cup in Utrecht, but the wait has been well worthwhile.
She hit the target to seal Scotland's 5-3 triumph against India to put them through to a play off against England today to decide ninth place.This was her first strike of the tournament.
A cross from Susan MacDonald in the sixty-third minute was met at the top of the circle. Simpson stepped into the ball and sliced it into the top left hand corner of the goal. It was hit with such power that the keeper did not move a muscle until the ball was on its way out.
That goal gave Scotland a 5-2 lead and undoubtedly sealed their triumph. They lost a goal to Manginder Kaur when a lack of decisiveness in defence was exposed for a second time.
They were caught flat-footed in the tenth minute when Pritam Pani gave India the lead but by the end of the first quarter Scotland gained the upper hand and in the twentieth minute they got back on level terms.
Susan Gilmour was the scorer after Grant had done the spade work. Then within four minutes Gilmour became the provider, for Pauline Robertson, the captain, in an identical move with Gilmour making a run through on the left.
MacDonald was unfortunate not to consolidate Scotland's advantage just before half time. Her effort went narrowly past but the Slough player had better luck four minutes after the break when Simpson did the spade work for her with a magnificent run and pass.
Mary Stella Tirkey temporarily caused a stir in the Scottish camp by cutting the deficit to single goal in the forty-sixth minute with a direct hit from a corner but then the Scots went into overdrive. Simpson set up Grant for the fourth and then got the fifth herself seven minutes later to take the pressure off.
Scotland will be anxious to renew their rivalry with England today. They are currently ahead of them in the world rankings and so will want to make it abundantly clear to their arch rivals who still rules British hockey. England secured their place with a 3-1 victory over China who played with much more commitment than they had done earlier during their 4-0 defeat by USA.
That defeat cost Scotland a place in the play off for positions five to eight.
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