SCOTLAND BEAT WALES, IRELAND KO ENGLAND TITLE HOPES

A jubilant Scotland team after their victory over Wales today. Picture by Carol Fell Scotland made a good start to the senior women's home golf internationals at Elie and Earlsferry, Fife today . They beat Wales 5-3 and now face England whose hopes of retaining the title were mortally wounded when Ireland beat them for the first time in this series which started in 2003. Ireland have never won the over-50s title but this 6-2 win makes them hot favourites to break their duck. Two North players made huge contributions to the Scotland effort. Alison Bartlett (Royal Dornoch), who did not play in the morning foursomes which were shared 1 1/2-1 1/2 against Wales, came off the bench to beat the legendary Vicki Thomas by 4 and 3 after winning the first three holes. Then, with the overall matched poised at 4-3 in Scotland's favour but Wales hoping to win the last match to salvage a draw, Tain's Mary Smith rose to the occasion to beat the experienced Jane Rees by one hole. Scotland play England on the second day with the prospects of a backlash performance by the well beaten English a strong possibility. Ireland play Wales and should pick up another win before they meet Scotland in Thursday's final programme DAY 1 SCOTLAND 5, WALES 3 Foursomes - L Bennett and F De Vries halved with A Lewis and V Thomas, H Anderson and M Hughes bt P Fernon and C Harries 2 and 1, M Smith and A Ryan lost to J Rees and D Richards 2 holes (1 1/2-1 1/2) Singles - Bennett halved with Lewis, A Bartlett bt Thomas 4 and 3, De Vries bt Harries 3 and 2, Hughes lost to Richards 6 and 4, Smith bt Rees 1 hole (3 1/2-1 1/2) ENGLAND 2, IRELAND 6 Foursomes - C Quinn and A Mayne lost to H Jones and P Doran 1 hole, J Melville and F Christine lost to S McElroy and C Wickham 5 and 4, C Berry and R Adams lost to S Corcoran and G McMullen 4 and 2 (0-3) Singles - Quinn bt Jones 4 and 2, Melville lost to McElroy 4 and 3, Mayne lost to Wickham 3 and 2, B Laird lost to Corcoran 6 and 4, Berry bt Doran 2 holes (2-3). DAY 2 MATCHES Ireland v Wales (8.30am and 1.10pm) Scotland v England (9am and 1.50pm ends