SCOTS WOMEN LOSE IT LATE, SCOTS GIRLS BEAT FINNS

Scotland, seemingly heading for a victory over Belgium in the Flight B semi-finals of the European women's team championship at Fulford GC, Yorkshire, lost the last three singles ties to go down 3-2.
The all-Carnoustie combine of Ailsa Summers and Jess Meek won the foursome by 3 and 2. Then Eilidh Briggs made it 2-0 by winning her singles 5 and 3.
But that was as good as it got for the Scots.
Alyson Mechin lost by two holes, Rachael Watton went down by 2 and 1, while Gemma Dryburgh lost by one hole.
Scotland will now play Ireland (beaten 4-1 by Germany) with 11th and 12th place at stake in their final match.
 SCOTLAND 2, BELGIUM 3
Foursome (1-0)
Ailsa Summers and Jess Meek bt Margaux Vanmol and Leslie Cloots 3 and 2.
Singles (1-3)
Eilidh Briggs bt Joelle Van Baarle 5 and 3.
Alyson McKechin lost to Manon De Roey 2 holes.
Rachael Watton lost to Fanny Cnops 2 and 1
Gemma Dryburgh lost to Laura Gonzalez-Escallon 1 hole.

Meanwhile the Scot girls beat Finland 3-2 in Flight A of the European girls' team championship. It's the first time ever since the format changed to six-girl teams (used to be four) that the Scots have made the top flight of the Under-18 girls' tournament so a final placing of fifth or sixth - they play Italy on Saturday to close their campaign - would not be a bad performance. 
The Scots' winners against the Finns were the foursome pairing of Fiona Liddell and Heather Munro and, in the singles, Lauren Whyte and Connie Jaffrey.

SCOTLAND 3, FINLAND 2
Foursome
Fiona Liddell and Heather Munro bt Sandra Salonen and Jenna Maihaniemi by one hole. 
Singles
Lauren Whyte bt Karina Kukkonen 3 and 2.
Lesley Atkins lost to Matilda Castren 5 and 3.
Connie Jaffrey bt Anna Backman 2 holes
Clara Young lost to Iida Nikka 6 and 5.
 

Fulford gold medal dreams end for England England’s gold medal dream has ended at the European ladies’ team championship at Fulford, York. Now it’s a battle for bronze. The team’s hopes were dashed by a sparkling Spanish side who won their semi-final clash 4½-2½ and go on to face Austria in the final.   England will take aim on the bronze and focus on tomorrow’s play-off match against Finland, the other semi-final losers. “It’s been a bad day, but we still have a chance of a medal and we will go out and try and win it,” said team captain Emma Brown. England played well today, in scorching heat, but the Spanish played better, hitting fairways and greens with metronomic repetition. When they did miss the target they displayed remarkable short game skills. “We played nicely, but they played a bit better than us,” said Emma. Honours were even between the two teams after the morning foursomes, thanks to an impressive fightback from Hayley Davis (image © Leaderboard Photography) and Georgia Hall. They came back from three down to win two up and keep the lunchtime score at one-all, after Bronte Law and Meghan MacLaren lost on the last. The singles were hard fought, but throughout most of the afternoon the Spanish team just had the edge. Georgia Hall had the upper hand over the opening holes of her singles and birdied the seventh to go one up. But her opponent birdied the ninth and 11th to take the lead and, once in front, she stayed there and won on the 17th. Behind them, team fortunes were swinging to and fro, but as the match moved into the closing stages both Lauren Taylor and Hayley Davis were ahead and looking good. However three singles points were necessary for a win and, try as they might, the other players were unable to provide one more. Sarah-Jane Boyd had dropped behind in her match early on and couldn't recreate the game-winning heroics of yesterday. Bronte Law was also trailing as she played the closing holes and anything she could do, her opponent could match. On the 16th, for example, Bronte hit the pin with her approach and holed the putt for a birdie – but the Spanish player followed her in for her own birdie to seal her team’s victory. At that stage Lauren and Hayley’s matches were still live and both players were up. Hayley’s was played to a conclusion, but Lauren was asked to accept a halved result. In the day’s other semi-final Austria, last of the eight match play qualifiers who have never won this championship, beat Finland 5½-1½. ENGLAND 2 1/2, SPAIN 4 1/2 Foursomes (1-1) Georgia Hall (Remedy Oak) and  Hayley Davis (Ferndown) bt Camilla Hedberg and Noemi Jiminez 2 holes Bronte Law (Bramhall) and Meghan MacLaren (Wellingborough) lost to Natalia Escuriola and Marta Sanz 2 holes Singles (1 1/2-3 1/2) Hall lost to Jiminez 2 and 1 Sarah-Jane Boyd (Truro) lost to Luna Sobron 4 and 3. Davis bt Sanz 1 hole Lauren Taylor (Woburn) halved with Hedberg Law lost to Escurolia 3 and 2. England tee off against Finland tomorrow at 8.20. Order of play: Foursomes 08 20 Georgia Hall and Hayley Davis 08 30 Meghan MacLaren and Sarah-Jane Boyd Singles 13 20 Georgia Hall 13 28 Hayley Davis 13 36 Bronte Law 13 44 Meghan MacLaren 13 52 Lauren Taylor For full scores, information and images visit www.englandgolf.org/euro2013 Lyndsey Hewison Press Officer England Golf pr@englandgolf.org 07825 752 193