England secure win over Scotland in NWYC2025

England and Scotland set the tone for the quarter-final stage of the Netball World Youth Cup with the first match of the second stage of the competition.

With both sides having little time to prepare between the first phase and the second stage, it was a tentative start, with Scotland taking the first goal.

The fact that both teams were in different colours than expected even confused the scoreboard commentary in the live stream. England wore dark kits, while Scotland played in pink.

England soon pulled away on the scoreboard with a 5-1 lead after just five minutes. However, Scotland were ready to make it a battle on court between two of Britain’s netball powerhouses.

England stalled momentarily as Scotland pulled it back to within three goals, with England leading 7-4.

A tough English defence held firm as they stepped ahead again to a 10-4 lead with five minutes remaining in the quarter. England’s movement made it hard for Scotland to keep up, taking the lead to 13-6 with two minutes to go. Scotland’s defence struggled to contain England’s advances, and by the buzzer England led 16-8. Scotland had wasted their final centre pass, giving away possession instead of cutting the deficit further.

The Europa Sports Complex, now the main venue for much of the tournament, once again enjoyed a vociferous crowd. Both Scotland and England drew interest from visiting and local fans as they kicked off the knockout stage.

England, looking for their first World Youth Cup, faced a tough quarter-final challenge against a side that knew them well.

England came out strongly once again, making changes that saw them stretch their lead to 20-8 within the opening minutes of the second quarter. Their strength in depth was clear on court.

The second quarter also saw a change of umpires, with the third umpire stepping in.

Although Scotland continued to battle, England’s movement caused problems as they extended their lead to 25-10, making it uncomfortable for the Scots. England showed no signs of easing the pace, responding instantly to Scotland’s goals as they powered ahead 30-12 with five minutes to half-time.

With the lead stretching, Scotland were forced to find alternatives. England, meanwhile, eased into a confident rhythm that was yielding results both on the scoreboard and in open play. Scotland did remind England they couldn’t relax, pulling a goal back, but England quickly lifted their own game to close the half 35-14 ahead.

England were well on their way to the semi-finals by half-time, though still wary of leaving the door open for a comeback.

As the World Youth Cup reached its business end, it attracted further attention. With top young talents on display, even England Roses head coach Jess Thirlby was travelling to Gibraltar to watch the final stages. The quarter-finals had already brought the Great Britain rivalry to centre stage.

Scotland, who had responded well to England’s early goals, looked positive after the break. Winning back possession, they tested England’s defence and pushed for a third consecutive goal from a centre pass, but England regained possession at 36-16.

Scotland had opportunities to unsettle England, intercepting passes, but too often their final ball failed to connect, gifting possession back.

Nevertheless, Scotland rallied after half-time, showing more composure and taking the game to England. Despite England extending their lead to 40-17, Scotland piled on pressure, capitalising on any English errors.

England, relaxed earlier in the game, began to show signs of frustration at some umpiring calls, which distracted them. Scotland used this to their advantage, limiting England to just four goals in the first eight minutes while trying to close the gap. At 41-19, they were still in touch.

But England’s efficiency proved decisive, responding almost immediately to each goal conceded.

As the quarter wore on, England settled back into their rhythm, reasserting their dominance to go 45-21 ahead with three minutes left in the third. Their composure showed as they stretched further, ending the quarter 48-22. A final England goal was disallowed after crossing the line just after the buzzer.

The match, as expected, had moments of strong physicality, with the rivalry playing out fiercely.

Scotland, impressive in the first phase and clearly well-prepared, were likely to be disappointed at how far the gap had widened. Entering the final ten minutes, they trailed 52-25, the scoreline more than double.

Still, the match was a showcase of two of Europe’s netball powerhouses, with the next generation of talent on display. Both sides featured players who had already received senior caps, many of them playing in their last World Youth Cup before turning 21.

England sealed their pathway towards a potential final with what looked a comfortable scoreboard lead in the end. The final result: England 64 – Scotland 33.

A tough battle that had seen both sides fight hard ended, as always, with players uniting at the centre of the court, holding one another and wishing each other well.