Susannah Townsend was in bullish mood after scoring the winner against the Auld Enemy to keep England on track for a Commonwealth Games medal.

The Canterbury HC star has impressed as England’s midfield dynamo, scoring in their opening 2-0 win over Wales last Thursday and inspiring a 5-0 rout of Malaysia on Sunday, before her 25th birthday on Monday was marred by a 3-0 group stage defeat to Australia.

Townsend bagged the crucial second goal as England saw-off Scotland on Wednesday morning, with Canterbury’s Nikki Kidd dispatching a clinical penalty corner strike for the host nation to set up a nervous finale in a 2-1 win for England.

Townsend said: “It was an enjoyable game. We started out very well and got two nice goals, which was good. I was due a goal.

“Credit to Scotland they came back and had a very good second half but we look to be building our momentum and taking it into the semi-finals.

“It wasn’t our best day, but it’s something for us to build on. The Scots played well and had a lot of support. If we can get a win playing not at our best then that’s the sign of a good team.

“This was probably how (the organisers) wanted the script to go, apart from the result, us playing Scotland on their home turf in effectively a quarter-final.”

England’s likely opponents on Friday lunchtime are New Zealand, with South Africa the favourites to face Australia in the other last-four clash.

Townsend claimed: “We’ve played all the teams before. Each team you come up against in a semi-final is going to be a great team.

“I don’t mind who it is. You have to beat the best teams to win a gold medal and I’m going to do my best to win us a medal.”