Neither Azzurri Kelburne, who lost on Sunday to East Grinstead by 3-0, nor Western Wildcats, who went down 5-0 to Rotterdam on Saturday, will play any further part in this season’s EuroHockey League.

Indeed, with only one ranking point between them, it is probable that Scotland will now be allocated only one place in next season’s competition.

However, the scoreline against Kelburne in no way reflected the balance of play, as East Grinstead were on the defensive throughout the first half, and really only came into their own in the final quarter.

Kelburne, by contrast, came out full of attacking intentions, needing victory by three clear goals. They were genuinely unlucky not to have penetrated the Sussex club’s defence from perhaps a dozen opportunities throughout the game, including five penalty corners.

Kenny Bain and Jonny Christie were particularly unfortunate, while defender Willie Marshall also pushed forward into scoring positions on several occasions without success. The Paisley midfield, however, was too often the weakest link.

Bain and Marshall combined well to creat two chances in quick succession the third minute, and skipper Gareth Hall missed a great opportunity in front of an empty goal, but was unable to control the sharp cross from the right with his reverse stick.

Jonny Christie created another chance in the second quarter, before East Grinstead went ahead against the run of play, and Bain almost squeezed the ball into the goal from a narrow angle.

Kelburne had already been on the wrong end of an East Grinstead appeal to the video umpire, but made an appeal of their own in the third quarter when a penalty stroke was awarded for a tackle on the edge of the circle which, in slow motion was deemd to be perfectly fair.

Another goalbound shot by Marshall was saved, and the final session opened with two chances for Bain, one saved, one going wide, before East Grinstead secured the tie with two goals in four minutes.

Kelburne manager Harry Coles said: "I felt we outplayed East Grinstead for long spells in the game, but we just couldn't get the ball in the net. That's where our inexperience showed."

The final scoreline looked like a one-sided match. It was not, but Kelburne were well beaten.