It was to be a difficult opener for Scotland in this year’s Centenary Shield, as England ran out emphatic winners on a freezing night at Cappielow. There was little between the sides last year, but the reigning holders showed a ruthless streak from early on this time around and the result never seemed in any doubt.

Pace and power up front were the key to five well worked England goals. The match ball undoubtedly went to 4 goal Kingsford Adjei, who had run the Scots defence ragged all night. In the end the final whistle came as a relief to some tired Scottish legs.

They were two down with half an hour gone, but the Scots had settled and given a better account of themselves as they fought on until half time. It was only really into the second half that England took the game by the scruff of the neck, and home heads started to drop.

The first goal settled any nerves with just three minutes on the clock, as England won a corner down the left, and loose marking at Daniel Barlow’s delivery allowed Adjei to swoop inside the 6 yard box drill past Ross Connolly. It was all about pace early on, with Barlow and Adjei ringing all the alarms every time they got into the final third. The Scots escaped further damage on 19 minutes as Adjei put Jack Butler clean through on goal, with the striker shooting just wide.

Scotland looked fragile at the back but managed to settle for a spell and put together some passes of their own. A first chance arrived on 32 minutes as Matthew Reilly swung in a delivery for Kyle Banner but he could only shoot straight at Aidan Stone.

And England duly went up field to extend their advantage a minute later as Adjei combined with Connor Short down the right and the striker capped a flowing move to place his second of the night past Connolly.

Scotland couldn’t find a way to respond as England’s back line held firm. Kieran Sweeney and Declan Glass ran the channels well but found themselves all too often isolated in attack. Two goals down at the break, Scotland had to find something different to get anything from this contest.

They made a positive start to the second half as Glass forced a good save from Stone from just outside the box, the England keeper tipping over the bar. But England were to show their cutting edge again on 54 minutes, as they all but made sure of the result.

It was another flowing moves, as Jean Luc Ramdin split the Scots defence and 7’s cross picked out Short in the middle for a simple tap in. It seemed to suck the life from the Scots as they rang a few changes from the bench in search of a response.

But there was to be no let up, as the visitors extended their lead, Adjei beating the offside trap to latch onto Max Watters’ ball and tuck past Connolly for his hat trick on 64 minutes. The England striker was having one of those nights, and as Scotland heads dropped, volleyed home the fifth after Henry Watson had helped on a Barlow corner.

It could have been even worse in the time remaining as England with Connolly pulling off a fine double save from the penalty spot, denying Watters’ spot kick and then Jack Cooper’s rebound. And Scotland restored a little pride in the closing minutes as Nathan Brown leapt to head home an injury time Glass free kick.

Probably a night to forget for the Scots as they head to Wales next week in search of a better result. On this evidence England again look the team to beat in this year’s championship.