2009 EUROPEAN U16 SHIELD – GAME 1

Despite only coming together the day before, EURO CELTS put up a highly creditable performance, going down 46-12 to SCOTLAND in the Shield.

The Scots, who carried the passion of their national anthem - played by a lone piper - into the proceedings, wore black armbands and observed a minute’s silence for the father of Tom Cunningham, who passed away on the morning of the game.

Louis Senter sneaked over from acting half back in the sixth minute to give the Scots the lead, David Scott converting. The Celts were level soon after, Ireland’s Liam Jackson finishing expansive play instigated by Yuri Krasko and Oliver Olds to cross in the corner, Ben Whitehead goaling.

Scott regained the lead for the young Bravehearts, latching onto a break by Paul Henry Jackson and, two minutes later, Calum Ford was just able to collect a bouncing ball after Scott's grubber caught out Filip Lafek on the Celts line.

Jason Sharkie took advantage of another kick from Scott to beat Nicola Stojanovic to a high ball to score in the corner and, on the half hour, Scott Wilson found a hole in the defence and raced the length of the pitch to score between the posts.

Three minutes later Wilson claimed his second, brushing aside several tackles, Scott adding his fifth goal to make it 34-6 at the break.

Olds gave the Celts a life line four minutes into the second half and their determined defence held until the 69^th minute when Wilson claimed his hat trick after a period of sustained pressure, from a Scott pass.

In the final minute, Scott completed a fine performance by sprinting clear from a Jordan Duncan pass to end with a 22 point personal haul.

SCOTLAND U16
Scot Wilson, Calum Ford, Frazer Satti, Sinclair Mathews, Ben Shawcross, David Scott, Ben Anderson, Paul Henry Jackson, Louis Senter, Robin McNamara, Tom Henry, Jason Sharkie, Robbie Tompson. Subs: Jordan Duncan, Ben Owram, Deren McNeil, Ryan McKenna 

EURO CELTS XIII
Lewis Sykes, Filip Lafek, Andrew Lambert, Efan Ellis, Nikola Stojanovic, Oliver Olds, Jack Riding, Andrew Thompson, Yuri Krashko, Jakub Smisek, Andrei Chistyakov, Liam Jackson, Ben Whitehead. Subs: Vladimir Kosyrev, Mladen Sisler, Uros Gajic, Bogdan Maras