IN the end, it was too much to ask.

As Scotland's youngsters valiantly chased the goal that would give them a share of the Victory Shield, their English hosts broke in stoppage time to score the goal that ended their dwindling hopes.

It was particularly hard to take given that the Scots had matched the English with an excellent, disciplined display and seemed certain to claim a highly-creditable draw.

None were more impressive than Robbie McCrorie. The 14-year-old Rangers goalkeeper offered a splendid display, a series of fine saves keeping his side in the tie. The custodian has already been inked as a target of both Manchester United and Manchester City and it was not hard to see why, with one stunning second-half stop especially eye-catching.

Scotland had chances of their own but could not find a way through, England instead claiming the Shield for the 12th consecutive year. Mark Wotte named six Celtic kids in his XI, but it was Rangers' sole representative, McCrorie, who kept the Scots on terms with an instinctive save from Tottenham's Joshua Onomah as the visitors were put on the back foot.

Scotland, though, almost scored with their first attack. Ciaran Lafferty picked out Calvin Miller, his Celtic team-mate, with a superb pass and the winger's cut back only just evaded Greg Kiltie. The Kilmarnock player had a lot of the ball and was causing the English problems; one of his deliveries fell to Ryan Caird, but the Celtic player could not keep his shot down.

Adam Hodge, the Scotland captain, stood up well to make a fine tackle, the Kilmarnock player stopping a weaving run in to the are by Manchester United's Demetri Mitchell, before McCrorie saved from a Patrick Roberts' drive.

The Scots, however, missed a glaring opportunity in the 32nd-minute when a fine move ended with Miller's splendid cross finding Ciaran Lafferty in front of goal. However, the Celtic striker couldn't divert his effort on target.

Scotland had a huge escape themselves, though, in first-half injury time when Michael Kelly of Aberdeen managed to clear Roberts' goalbound shot from the line to keep the scores level. The Pittodrie youngster was heavily involved at the other end, too, his low, curling free kick forcing a good save from Arsenal's Ryan Huddart, before McCrorie made an equally fine stop at the other end from a Onomah header.

The goalkeeper surpassed himself with an excellent stop on the hour mark when he bravely sprinted from his goal to dive at the feet of Everton midfielder Ryan Ledson and block his shot. McCrorie made another important stop when he sprung to his left to keep out Brandon Fox's shot as Scotland were forced to defend for much of the second half.

A combination of dogged defending and McCrorie's heroics looked to have earned the Scots a point until MK Dons' Giorgio Rasulo struck.