Football: Sweeper tolls the bell for Sexton?

One of the English game's betes noires, the sweeper, returns tonight to threaten the progress of Dave Sexton's side in the Toulon Under-21 Tournament, writes Nicholas Harling. The Scots foundered against the sweeping of Belgium's Gunter Verjans on Friday, paying for their failure with a premature exit when a semi-final place looked theirs for the taking. Having lost 3-0 to France, the only other side deploying a sweeper, England take on Belgium in Beer L'Etang, near Marseilles, hoping that Bruce Dyer, the pounds 1.1m Crystal Palace striker, can unsettle the opposition's defence. England will field their third goalkeeper, Michael Oakes, with Paul Gerrard now at home injured and Alan Nicholls having let in three against France.