THE SPRIGS of lucky white heather worn by the Scottish caddies in the Women's Home Internationals at Longniddry yesterday were to no avail as the host country lost to England in the final match so handing their rivals a fifth successive victory.

Having fallen behind in the morning foursomes 1-2, Scotland needed to clinch four of the six afternoon singles ties to ensure success for the first time since, 1991. Sadly, for the sizeable home support, they could only muster three wins and the scoreline finished 4-5.

In the battle to avoid taking home the wooden spoon it was a successful day for Ireland who had been unfortunate to enter the final day without a point.

recovered well from a 1-2 morning foursomes deficit to defeat Wales by 5.5 to 3.5.

Only Alison Coffey, of Warrenport, and Michelle McGreevy, of Rossmore, could win their foursomes. They gelled well to account for Bethan Jones and Kate Stark by 3 and 1.

In the other matches, Eileen Rose Power, of Kilkenny, and Suzanne Fanagan, of Milltown, lost out by an agonising one hole margin to Lisa Dermott and Becky Morgan. And Eavan Higgins, of Douglas, and Ada O'Sullivan, of Monkstown, were beaten by 2 and 1 by Denise Richards and Vicki Thomas.

However, it was a different story in the afternoon. Castletroy amateur Barbara Hackett lost the first match to Dermott by one hole, but no fewer than four of her team-mates avoided that outcome.

McGreevy beat Thomas by two holes, Coffey accounted for Natalee Evans by 3 and 2, O'Sullivan defeated Morgan by one hole and Power rounded off a face-saving exercise with a final 4 and 3 win against Richards. Higgins halved her match with Stark.

The final foursomes tie in the England-Scotland match, when Mhairi McKay, of Turnberry, and Laura Moffat, of west Kilbride lost by one hole to Fiona Brown and Joanne Hockley after being a hole up, was crucial to the eventual outcome.