Olten, Wednesday.

THE Scottish international men's hockey record against Denmark is

impressive, with three victories and one draw in their four matches to

date.

So there should be no cause for alarm when the teams meet tomorrow in

their final group match of the Inter-Continental Cup qualifying

tournament, when victory would assure the Scots of a place in Saturday's

semi-finals.

Italy are also in contention for a top-four finish, but they are

unlikely to take even a point from their game with tournament favourites

Belgium.

The quality of Scotland's hockey this far has been very encouraging

and a repeat of their form when beating Italy

4-0 on Monday, or their play for most of the second half against

Belgium, would suggest there is not too much wrong with this current

squad.But whether it is good enough to book a place in the

Inter-Continental Cup proper is another matter.

The inexperienced defence -- David Fowler, Shaun Middleton, and

Michael Starling have accumulated just 12 international caps among them

-- lacks pace, a fact which Belgium exposed in their 3-0 victory.

However, this is a tightly-knit unit with no obvious destructive

elements, and if the bond of friendship which has built up during the

training programme continues to flourish then Denmark will no doubt have

to face up to their most difficult 70 minutes of the tournament so far.

Wales, who meet Switzerland tomorrow in group B, already are safely

through to the last four. Today's matches:

Group A -- Scotland v Denmark, Belgium v Italy. Group B -- Austria v

Czechoslovakia, Wales v Switzerland.

SCOTTISH Universities' League results:

Men -- Stirling 1, Edinburgh 0; Heriot-Watt 11, Strathclyde 0; St

Andrews 1, Glasgow 4.

Women -- Heriot-Watt 4, Strathclyde 0; Dundee 2, Aberdeen 0; St

Andrews 0, Glasgow 3; Stirling 1, Edinburgh 1.