Eastriggs man leads Scotland to first win

And Eastriggs man Brian Murray, 53, wore the captain’s armband when his side claimed a 2-1 victory against Belgium in the third place play off match. Scotland were beaten by Israel and Ireland on Saturday before taking on Belgium on Sunday. Scotland then faced Belgium for a second time on Sunday afternoon in a third place play-off. Goals from Leigh Gregory and Rob Wilson secured the win for the Scots. Scotland finished third, while Israel and Ireland finished first and second respectively. This is the first tournament of its kind to be hosted in Scotland by Amputee Football Association Scotland, set up by Ashley Reid in 2017. To play outfield, players must have a lower limb missing, while goalkeepers must have an arm missing. The game is fast paced, dynamic and physically gruelling on the upper body. It is well established across the world, with leagues in more than 30 countries. The Scotland squad currently plays in the Irish Amputee Football league. The game is played on crutches with teams of seven-a-side. Father of two, Brian Murray, who has captained the team since the charity’s inception, lost his leg to cancer at 11 years old. [caption id="attachment_45631" align="alignnone" width="680"]

IN ACTION . . . Brian Murray captained the Scotland side[/caption] He said: “I’m absolutely elated and honoured to have secured our first international win. “The squad is made up of players from all over Scotland and we’ve been training for this for many months. “To take away third place and two wins is testament to all the hard work, and we’re excited about the future of amputee football in Scotland. “I would urge anyone who has lost a limb to get in touch and come and try this dynamic and exciting sport. It has been truly life changing for me.”