EILIDH WATSON FINISH SALVAGES DRAW FOR SCOTS

Scotland drew with Wales 4 1/2-4 1/2 in their opening match of the Girls' Home Internationals on a rain-hit day at Radyr Golf Club, near Cardiff today. It was a seesaw struggle which saw the Scots trail 2-1 after the morning foursomes, then take a 4-2 lead after singles wins by Scottish U18 champion Lauren Whyte (St Regulus), Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies) and Rachel Walker (Dumfries and Co) But, on afternoon during which there was a 35min suspension of play while some greens which were beginning to flood with the nonstop drizzle were squeegeed, the Welsh fought back and gained two wins and a halved match in the last three ties to finish. Looking on the bright side, it would have been a defeat for the Scots but for debutante Eilidh Watson (Muckhart), three down with three to play against Ella Griffiths, winning the 16th, 17th and 18th, to earn the half point and the overall draw, which keeps Scotland's hopes alive. Defending champions England led Ireland 2-1 in the foursomes but were also held to a 4 1/2-4 1/2 draw. Shock individual result in the singles here was a 4 and 3 defeat for Gabriella Cowley, the Scottish Under-16 champion and third in a huge international field at the recent RandA Junior Open. Her conqueror was Olivia Mehaffey, one of the three singles winners for Ireland - Jessica Ross and Ariana Coyle Diez were the others, that enabled them to take England right down to the wire. But for Meghan McLaren's victory in the final singles, Ireland, who have never won the Stroyan Cup which goes to the champions at the end of the three-day programme, England would have suffered their first defeat since Scotland won the title in 2006 and 2007. Day 1 WALES 4 1/2, SCOTLAND 4 1/2 Foursomes - N Greville and G Lewis lost to R Walker and L Whyte 1 hole; M Lockett and J Evans bt N Callander and A Summers 8 and 6, C Williams and E Griffiths bt L Atkins and J Meek 4 and 3 (2-1). Singles - B Williams lost to Whyte 6 and 5, C Williams lost to Summers 4 and 2, Lockett lost to Walker 5 and 4, Griffiths halved with E Watson, Greville bt Atkins 2 holes, Evans bt C Young 2 holes (2 1/2-3 1/2) IRELAND 4 1/2, ENGLAND 4 1/2 Foursomes - J O'Driscoll and J Ross lost to G Hall and G Cowley 2 and 1, J Carty and C Ryan lost to E Mallett and M MacLaren 5 and 4, O Mehaffey and A Coyle Diez bt O Winning and A Ratcliffe 3 and 1 (1-2) Singles - O'Driscoll lost to Hall 3 and 2, Carty halved with Mallet, Ross bt B Townend 2 holes, Coyle Diez bt S Smart 2 and 1, Mehaffey bt Cowley 4 and 2, Ryan lost to MacLaren 2 and 1 (3 1/2-2  1/2). ends