NOT even the weather could help Scotland yesterday.
A day after a scorching sun had blazed over Glasgow Green, the sudden drop in temperature, a light gust of wind and some persistent drizzle all seemed to have come together to provide perfect conditions for the men's hockey team ahead of their match against India. In the end, though, it was the visitors who were Singhing in the rain after producing a deluge of goals to match the torrent that tumbled persistently from the sky.
Scotland, having lost their opening match to South Africa, effectively had to win if they were to have any realistic chance of qualifying for the semi-finals, but the concession of a goal after only six minutes set the tone. India were simply too direct and quick, their effective passing and dribbling - a sort of sticky-taka a la Barcelona football tactics - erasing Scottish morale one notch at a time.
They were clinical too, creating only two more chances than Scotland, but converting six to their opponents' two. They also made good use of their penalty corners. Rupinder Singh and Raghunath Ramachandra both scored twice from a set-play, their strikes from just inside the circle giving Jamie Cachia little hope of keeping them out.
"We knew they had a good corner attack so we were trying not to concede them," said midfielder Nick Parkes. "They won quite a few and that was frustrating. We'll work on that for next time."
India scored twice from open play as well. The first came following a mesmerising dribble from Gurbaj Singh, who worked his way into space before thrashing in a near-post drive that Cachia perhaps should have kept out. Their other came from Gurwinder Chadri, who flicked a cross beyond the goalkeeper.
From two goals down at half-time, the loss of four goals in just 13 minutes left Scotland on the wrong end of a rout. As the rain started to get heavier, it began to look a somewhat bleak picture. There was belated reason for cheer, however, with Scotland scoring twice late on to add a sheen of respectability to the scoreline. Such was the roar that greeted Kenny Bain's goal - both from the player himself and the majority of the crowd - it was as if "next goal's the winner" had been introduced shortly before the ball went in.
There was still a wait - India referred the incident believing the reverse-stick drive had touched a Scottish foot - before the goal was allowed to stand. There may have been a riot had they chopped it off, with a pumped-up Bain probably leading the charge.
A second goal a minute from time, touched in by Parkes, at least offers belated hope ahead of Scotland's next match against Wales tomorrow. "In all honesty, India had probably relaxed a bit by then having gone six up," he added. "But it was still good to get a couple of goals at the end to show the supporters we can put those attacking plays together."
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