Great Scots! Through to Euro final

.... and England make it at 20th

Scotland cut high-flying Italy down to size at Conwy, North Wales today to follow up their last autumn world championship success in Australia by reaching Saturday's final of the European men's amateur team championship. Their opponents will be England who got through on the back of Luke Goddard's 20th hole win in the final singles against top seeds Norway.

It will be Scotland's first appearance in the European final since 2001 when they beat Ireland.

There was a lot expectation and pressure on the Scots coming into this championship and they have lived "dangerously," qualifying 6th of eighth for the championship flight, thanks to a brilliant second round by Comrie's Wallace Booth.

But, the closer they have got to the final, the better the Scots have played and there was a lot to like in their 4 1/2-2 1/2 trimming of Italy today.After the foursomes were shared 1-1, wins by Gavin Dear (Murrayshall), Wallace Booth and Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) wrapped up the Scots' place in the final.

Dear was two up with four to play in the lead-off singles tie against Joon Kim but lost the 15th and 17th and came through a test of nerve for a one-hole win that set the ball rolling for Scotland.

Wallace Booth coasted home by 4 and 2, leaving Scotland needing one more point to clinch overall victory. They got it from young Michael Stewart, the US college boy from Troon.
Stewart and Nino Bertasio were even steven after the turn and kept exchanging holes. Bertasop squared the match at the 14th before Stewart got his nose in front again at the 16th and clinched victory for himself and the Scots as whole by also winning the 17th.

Ross Kellett (Colville Park) was held to a square match by Andrea Pavan while Paul O'Hara, beaten 6 and 4, could hardly have been expecting the Italians to field their British amateur champion, Matteo Manassero, in the fifth and last singles slot against him - a blunder by the Italians as they needed a point from Matteo at the head of the batting order where it counted, not at No 5 where it was inconsequential.
SGU National Coach Ian Rae had every reason to be delighted with the team’s performance.
He said: “I am delighted with their win here this afternoon. We really have excelled in the match- play phase and have played better and better each day which has really been the key to our success.
“Getting into the top eight was our first objective but once it comes to match play it is man pitted against each man and we have thrived in that competitive environment. The boys have also adapted well. There was a lot of rain this morning and as a result the course is playing much longer than it has and they have taken the change in playing conditions in their stride.
"The team is in a buoyant mood and are really looking forward to tomorrow.”
England came back from 0-2 down after the foursomes to edge ahead in the singles against Norway with victories by their top three men in the batting order - Matt Haines, Sam Hutsby and Tommy Fleetwood.
But Norway clawed their way back to 3-3 overall whne Anders Kristiansen beat Dale Whitnell by two holes.
It all boiled down to the last singles which went into extra holes when Espen Kofstad and Luke Goddard came off the 18th green all square. Goddard prevailed at the 20th.
SEMI-FINALS DETAILS
SCOTLAND 4 1/2, ITALY 2 1/2
Foursomes (1-1)
Gavin Dear & Glenn Campbell lost to Niccolo Quintarelli & Nino Bertasio 3 and 2.
Wallace Booth & Michael Stewart bt Matteo Manassero & Andrea Pavan 4 and 2.
Singles (3 1/2-1 1/1).
Dear bt Joon Kim 1 hole.
Booth bt Quintarelli 4 and 3.
Stewart bt Bertasio 2 and 1.
Ross Kellett halved with Andrea Pavan.
P O'Hara lost to Matteo Manassero 6 and 4

NORWAY 3, ENGLAND 4
Foursomes (2-0)
Anders Kristiansen & Joakim Mikkelsen bt Dale Whitnell & Charlie Ford 3 and 1.
Espen Kotstad & Elias Bertheussen bt Tommy Fleetwood & Matt Haines 2 and l.
Singles
Haines bt Knut Borsheim 4 and 2.
Sam Hutsby bt Joakim Mikkelsen 2 and 1.
Fleetwood bt Arie Friestad 2 and 1.
Anders Kristiansen bt Dale Whitnell 2 holes.
Espen Kofstad lost to Luke Goddard at 20th.