Fringe Scots draw a blank during Dublin B-test

Ireland B 0
Scotland B 0

A SOLID if unspectacular performance from a shadow Scotland team saw them depart Dublin with a share of the spoils from last night's B international.

If the fixture failed to fully catch fire, it at least gave national manager Walter Smith the opportunity to expose fringe men such as Scott Brown, Michael Stewart and Lee Miller to international football, and the manager described the encounter as "a worthwhile exercise".

It also marked the return of Andy Webster in a Scotland jersey. The centre-back, whose protracted move from Hearts to Wigan Athletic saw him frozen out of football for around five months, captained the team last night.

"The game gave us a closer look at everybody who was involved, and the majority of those who did play are closer to the national side," said Smith. "Games like this can be awkward because you are bringing the boys together on a Sunday evening, playing Tuesday evening and there is no opportunity for any great continuity.

"In the first half our possession was not great and we didn't really control the game in a manner I was hoping for, and that's the only disappointing factor. We had a couple of efforts, both goalkeepers made good saves at times, but overall there weren't many opportunities."

Not even the potential future golden boy of Irish football, Anthony Stokes, raised the game above the mundane following his arrival in the 51st minute. To be fair to Stokes, the Arsenal youngster who has scored ten goals in his past six loan games with Falkirk, he did play the 90 minutes of Monday night's 1-1 draw with Hearts in the SPL.

The opening half was marginally more entertaining than the second, with Hibs right-back Steven Whittaker drilling wide the first chance on 12 minutes. Kris Boyd then went close with an angled left-foot strike but the Rangers striker was denied by Darren Randolph.

The Scottish defence appeared to be in trouble just before the half-hour, when Joe Gamble robbed Stephen Pearson outside the area. But Gamble's pass into Roy O'Donovan was too pacy and, although the shot was on target, it allowed keeper Paul Gallacher to make a point-blank block.

There was a moment of controversy in the 42nd minute when referee Martin Atkinson awarded Scotland a free-kick on the edge of the area. Alex Bruce's challenge on Brown led to the Hibs player tumbling in the box, but Scottish protests that it should have been a penalty were waved away and, from the dead-ball chance, Boyd drove a crisp shot into the sidenetting.

That was as good as it got for Smith's men, who failed to muster a single opportunity during a dull second half.

Republic of Ireland B: Randolph (Quigley 86), Foley, McCarthy, Bruce (O'Cearuill 51), Emmanuel, Gamble, McPhail (Potter 46), Gibson (Frecklington 51), O'Brien (Hunt 44), Keogh (Long 77), O'Donovan (Stokes 51).

Scotland B: Gallacher (M Brown 46), Whittaker, Webster, Broadfoot (Greer 54), S Smith (Adam 60), Naismith, Stewart, S Brown (Miller 54), Clark (McEveley 60), Pearson, Boyd.

Taken from the Scotsman