FEBRUARY 12 - ENGLAND'S head badminton coach Ian Wright has hit out some of Scotland's players for their conduct tonight in the defeat which saw the hosts qualify for the quarter-finals of the European Team Championships in Liverpool.

 

A 4-1 victory at the Liverpool Echo Arena set up a clash tomorrow with eighth seeds Ukraine, who like England lost just one rubber in the group stage.

 

However, Wright was angry with the behaviour of some members of the Scottish team.

 

He said: "There were a lot of comments in the match that upset some of our players and some of our staff.

 

"A lot of people work hard at Milton Keynes [National Badminton Centre] and a lot of the Scottish players benefit from that.

 

"What we don't need is a lack of respect for some of our sports staff, it is just not on.

 

"We are supposed to be working as one unit and we don't need negative Scottish press."

 

Wright, who was Britain's head coach at the Beijing Olympics, added: "Milton Keynes is a world class badminton centre - we win world medals, Olympic medals - we know exactly what we are doing.

 

"It is not for Scotland to come out with critical comments."

 

On the court, former Scotland international Robert Blair and Yorkshire's Gabby White, in the mixed doubles, and Rajiv Ouseph, singles, gave England a 2-0 lead before Susan Hughes pulled one back by defeating Elizabeth Cann, whom she recently deposed as Britain's number one singles player, in almost an hour.

 

However, national champions Anthony Clark and Nathan Robertson clinched victory for England and Donna Kellogg and Jenny Wallwork won the dead rubber against Bankier and Jillie Cooper.

 

Wright said: "It was our second team and it was a very comfortable win."

 

Scotland coach Dan Travers said: "I am delighted with the way they played and I felt they gave a very good account against England who are a quality side."

 

Also in Group Eight, Wales suffered their third successive defeat, losing 3-2 to the Czech Republic despite Martyn Lewis scoring two points, first with Caroline Harvey and then with Matthew Hughes.

 

Ireland found defending champions Denmark too tough and went down 5-0, their first loss of the tournament.

 

Earlier in the day the Irish had beaten Spain 3-2 with Sam Magee winning two points, with sister Chloe in the mixed and Scott Evans in the doubles.

 

Chloe was also a winner in the singles.