Scotland v San Marino

28 March 2001

Scotland 4 San Marino 0

Colin Hendry (22) Colin Hendry (33) Billy Dodds (34) Colin Cameron (65)
 
Scotland moved back to the top of Group Six with an easy win over minnows San Marino.

Skipper Colin Hendry led the way with a memorable opening double, although second-half controversy also came his way, and Billy Dodds gave the Scots a
3-0 half-time lead.

Colin Cameron made it four just after the hour mark but there was to be no rewriting of the record books and Belgium’s goal difference tally remains significantly better.

And with Scotland’s other main rivals Croatia also about to play the part-timers, the group is very much in the balance.

Of course, it is always a case of how many when San Marino are involved, especially as they have only avoided defeat once in their history - and with
the Belgians having helped themselves to 10 last month.

It had taken the Scots more than 70 minutes to get on the scoresheet in Serravalle and they had to settle for a below par 2-0 success in the end.
It was no surprise therefore that the men in white were looking to frustrate once again and for the first 20 minutes they survived.

But Scotland had already started getting close, with Cameron shooting on sight, and the first goal was soon on its way.

It came from an unlikely source, however, with Hendry, the Hall of Fame’s latest entrant following his 50th cap on Saturday, the scorer.

Craig Burley swung in a corner, Matt Elliott headed it on to a post and, after two defenders had helped it on but not away, Hendry smashed it into the net.

The veteran may have been a former striker in his first spell at Blackburn but he had only ever scored once before for his country - yet by the 33rd minute he was chasing a hat-trick.

His second was a sensational finish too, a belter past Federico Gasperoni after another Burley flag kick had found its way through the crowded box.

Scotland were away at last and Dodds, the two-goal hero against Belgium, dived to head home Don Hutchison’s cross for the third within a minute of the restart.

Dodds was denied by a post before half-time as the Scots began to dream of that big score.

But it was not to be for a variety of reasons, not least the form of Gasperoni, who made first-half saves of the highest order first from Burley and then Allen Johnston in between the goals.

He was again called into action soon after the restart with a block from Hutchison which saw Dominic Matteo lash over the rebound with the goal at his mercy.

Hendry came close to that hat-trick with a fine piece of skill, a shot on the turn with his back to goal after collecting a loose rebound on his chest.

But the game was flat by now and the goal difference boosting chances were drying up, although Dodds was denied a stonewall penalty on the hour mark when his legs were chopped from under him just inside the white lines.

Brown had been criticised for not making time-wasting substitutions while in the lead on Saturday but his first switch of this match, replacing Matteo with Kevin Gallacher in the 64th minute, paid off instantly.

The Newcastle man’s first touch was a header into the mixer that San Marino cleared only as far as Cameron who scuttled in a low shot for the fourth. But that turned out to be the highlight of a largely sterile second period, although Gasperoni did make a sterling block from Burley, who had burst through at Hutchison’s invitation.

Hendry had another hat-trick chance, courtesy of a free-kick he had earned himself, but the wall stood firm to block his shot.

In stoppage time the skipper’s immense contribution was marred by the sight of him elbowing substitute Nicola Alabani in the throat after some shirt-pulling in the box.

The incident was missed by Finnish referee Petteri Kari otherwise the Bolton man would have been sent off while his stricken opponent was stretchered
away for treatment.

San Marino managed one shot all evening, a first-half stoppage-time free-kick that was always going over.

Their only other moment of note was a nervous one for the Scots when the score was still 0-0, when Andy Selva beat the offside trap but goalkeeper
Neil Sullivan calmly came out of his box to get there first.

The Tottenham number one was a spectator to the rest of the proceedings.

(c) Copyright Ananova Ltd 2001, all rights reserved.

TEAM LINE-UPS

Scotland
1. Sullivan
2.Colin Hendry
3. Elliott (46,Boyd)
4. Weir
5. Matteo (64,Gallacher)
6.Colin Cameron (83,Gemmill)
7. Lambert
8. Burley
9.Allan Johnston
10.Don Hutchison
11.Billy Dodds

San Marino
1. Gasperoni
2. Della Balda (90,Albani)
3. Marani
4. Bacciocchi
5. Matteoni
6. Gobbi
7.Riccardo Muccioli
8. Zonzini
9. Vanucci (70,Bugli)
10. Manzaroli (81,R Selva)
11. A Selva

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