Scotland U21 1 Northern Ireland U21 1

SAFEWAY UNDER-21 INTERNATIONAL

Scotland 1 (Clyde og 73) Northern Ireland 1 (McEvilly 30)

Attendance 2,351

Scotland drew 1-1 with Northern Ireland tonight in the third Under-21 International of the Rainer Bonhof era.

It took an own goal from Mark Clyde to rescue an unimpressive Scots side that struggled throughout to impose their authority on the game, and just to round off the perfect night saw their captain Manchester United's Michael Stewart ordered off for throwing the ball at the Icelandic referee.

Bonhof made three changes from the Hamilton line-up of two days earlier, with Derek Soutar, John Kennedy and Peter Canero replacing Allan McGregor, Andy Dowie and Stuart Duff.

The Irish made the more impressive start with Chris Doig having to head off the line as early as the fifth minute to deny Brian Close.

There was however little goalmouth action to keep the sparse crowd engrossed, and it was 28 minutes before Scotland seriously tested goalkeeper Elliott Morris when he clawed away a Shaun Maloney twenty-yard free-kick.

Two minutes later the visitors took the lead when Lee McEvilly converted the rebound after a Gavin Melaugh drive had struck the woodwork.

Although Scotland had perhaps the greater possession, there was a distinct lack of a cutting edge to their attacks, and the Irish defence looked comfortable in repelling any danger.

Michael Stewart in particular was a great disappointment in midfield, failing to impress or to suggest that he might force his way into the first-team reckoning at Old Trafford.

Not even the introduction of Steven McLean of Rangers for the ineffective Shaun Maloney could make an impact, but the Scots finally levelled matters in 73 minutes when substitute Tom McManus¹ effort was deflected into his own net by Mark Clyde.

Ex-Ranger Ryan McCann (now with Linfield) made a substitute appearance for Northern Ireland in 77 minutes when he replaced Brian Close.

Seven minutes later the roof fell in on Michael Stewart when in disputing a refereeing decision he hit the Icelandic official with the ball and was promptly red-carded.

Rainer Bonhof later claimed that he had not seen the Stewart incident, but accepted that the player¹s conduct was unacceptable.

Irish Coach Roy Miller was delighted with his team¹s performance, but acknowledged that both the Scots and Irish face similar problems in that so many of their player¹s face reserve team football at club level.

"The influx of foreign players is stopping the growth of local talent. In five years time all Irish Internationalists may well be playing in the Irish League. Scotland does at least have full-time football."

SCOTLAND Soutar (McEwan 45); McCunnie, Hammell; Kennedy, Doig, Kerr; Canero (Duff 45), Pearson (Lynch 66), McFadden (McManus 45), Stewart, Maloney (McLean 45)
UNUSED SUBS Dowie, O¹Brien, McGregor

NORTHERN IRELAND Morris; Baird, Capaldi; Clyde, Simms, Melaugh; Close (McCann 77), Toner, McEvilly (McFlynn 65), Browne (Braniff 45), Morrison (McCourt 10)
UNUSED SUBS Hunter, Herron, Havero