Thirty-five degree heat, almost 5000 partisan Scottish supporters and the possibility of winning a Commonwealth Games medal; these are not the conditions that the Scottish men's hockey team are used to but this was exactly what they got when they lined up yesterday for their first match of Glasgow 2014 against South Africa at the National Hockey Centre in Glasgow Green.
If hockey is not considered a mainstream spectator sport in this country, you would not have known it yesterday.
The packed stands showed no signs of impartiality, cheering vociferously every time the Scottish men got anywhere near the opposition and booing when South Africa were awarded a penalty. Admittedly, not the most sporting reaction but if one can't be unashamedly biased at a home Commonwealth Games, then when can one be biased?
While their 2-0 defeat by the South Africans has not extinguished thier medal hopes entirely, it has made that target considerably more unlikely. The Scots play India today needing a win to ensure any hope of qualifying for the last four, with Wales and the world champions, Australia, also in their group.
That Scotland managed to compete with South Africa as well as they did is a testament to their commitment. In contrast to the Scottish women's team, who have received funding from sportscotland enabling them to train full-time last summer as well as for the past three months, the men have received nothing of the sort. Physically they matched South Africa, which must surely soften the blow in some respects as their opponents are ranked 12th in the world. It was Scotland's missed chances which killed them; they cannot afford to fail to convert chances in their remaining matches.
For the Scottish women, a medal is within reach. Scotland has never won a medal in a team sport at the Commonwealth Games and the women's hockey team are out to rectify that this week.
There is something different about supporting a Scottish team rather than an individual athlete. The atmosphere is closer to that of football than anything else and when the Scottish women play England on Wednesday morning in a match which is likely to be vital to their medal hopes, it will be unique.
But when you consider the quite remarkable start Team Scotland has made, anything is possible.
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