Scotland looked on their way to a shock victory over defending champions England when they led 2-1 after the Day 2 morning foursomes in the Senior Women's Home Internationals at a wet and eventually windy Alyth Golf Club, Perthshire today.
But England's strength in depth enabled them to turn the tables in the singles which they won 4.5 to 0.5 for an overall 5.5-2.5 victory which keeps them on schedule to win the title for the third time in a row and the 10th time in all.
Fiona De Vries and Lesley Lloyd won their foursomes by two holes and so too did Mary Smith and Lorna McKinlay.
The singles were not quite so one-sided in England's favour as the bare results suggest. Sheena Wood was a little bit unlucky to go down by one hole in the top singles tie while Lesley Lloyd was one up on the 18th tee but lost the last hole to let her English opponent off the hook with a square game.
European senior champions Ireland have lost their first two matches. Their 5.5-2.5 reverse by England was a body blow to the star-studded Irish side who will be out to repeat last year's 8-0 victory when they play Scotland on the final day at Alyth.
It will be a major surprise if England do not clinch the title by beating Wales.
SENIOR WOMEN'S HOME INTERNATIONALS
Alyth Golf Club, Perthshire
DAY 2
SCOTLAND 2.5, ENGLAND 5.5
Foursomes (2-1)
S Wood and G Kyle lost to J Brown and A Greenfield 4 and 3.
F De Vries and L Lloyd bt H Lowe and K Jobling 2 holes.
M Smith and L McKinlay bt J Foster and K Russell 2 holes.
Singles (0.5-4.5)
Wood lost to C Rawthore 1 hole.
Kyle lost to Greenfield 3 and 2.
McKinlay lost to Brown 3 and 2.
Lloyd halved with Russell.
De Vries lost to Foster 4 and 3.
IRELAND 2.5, WALES 5.5
Foursomes (2-1)
C Wickham and S McElroy bt A Lewis and S Roberts 2 and 1.
L Webb and S Corcoran lost to J Rees and D Richards 2 and 1.
M Sheehy and M O'Reilly bt C Harries and O Davies 4 and 3.
Singles (0.5-4.5)
G McMullen lost to Rees 1 hole.
Wickham lost to Lewis 6 and 5.
Webb lost to Harries 1 hole.
Sheehy lost to Davies 3 and 2.
McElroy halved with Roberts.
HOW THEY STAND
England 2 wins
Scotland 1 win
Wales 1 win
Ireland 0 wins
FINAL MATCHES
08.30 and 01.10: Wales v England
09.00 and 13.50: Scotland v Ireland
Fiona De Vries and Lesley Lloyd won their foursomes by two holes and so too did Mary Smith and Lorna McKinlay.
The singles were not quite so one-sided in England's favour as the bare results suggest. Sheena Wood was a little bit unlucky to go down by one hole in the top singles tie while Lesley Lloyd was one up on the 18th tee but lost the last hole to let her English opponent off the hook with a square game.
European senior champions Ireland have lost their first two matches. Their 5.5-2.5 reverse by England was a body blow to the star-studded Irish side who will be out to repeat last year's 8-0 victory when they play Scotland on the final day at Alyth.
It will be a major surprise if England do not clinch the title by beating Wales.
SENIOR WOMEN'S HOME INTERNATIONALS
Alyth Golf Club, Perthshire
DAY 2
SCOTLAND 2.5, ENGLAND 5.5
Foursomes (2-1)
S Wood and G Kyle lost to J Brown and A Greenfield 4 and 3.
F De Vries and L Lloyd bt H Lowe and K Jobling 2 holes.
M Smith and L McKinlay bt J Foster and K Russell 2 holes.
Singles (0.5-4.5)
Wood lost to C Rawthore 1 hole.
Kyle lost to Greenfield 3 and 2.
McKinlay lost to Brown 3 and 2.
Lloyd halved with Russell.
De Vries lost to Foster 4 and 3.
IRELAND 2.5, WALES 5.5
Foursomes (2-1)
C Wickham and S McElroy bt A Lewis and S Roberts 2 and 1.
L Webb and S Corcoran lost to J Rees and D Richards 2 and 1.
M Sheehy and M O'Reilly bt C Harries and O Davies 4 and 3.
Singles (0.5-4.5)
G McMullen lost to Rees 1 hole.
Wickham lost to Lewis 6 and 5.
Webb lost to Harries 1 hole.
Sheehy lost to Davies 3 and 2.
McElroy halved with Roberts.
HOW THEY STAND
England 2 wins
Scotland 1 win
Wales 1 win
Ireland 0 wins
FINAL MATCHES
08.30 and 01.10: Wales v England
09.00 and 13.50: Scotland v Ireland
