SCOTLAND'S major championship debut was one to forget as they were swept aside by a strong England side who completed the first round of Euro 2017 matches with the biggest scoreline of the tournament so far.

The Scots went into the game without five of the regular qualifying group starters, but even so the scoreline was unexpected. The tournament's third favourites were far too strong, and have already as good as booked their place in the quarter-finals.

Scotland will now have to pick themselves up for Sunday's game against Portugal, who had earlier lost 2-0 to Spain.

With Emma Mitchell not in the squad and Hayley Lauder having failed to recover from a hamstring injury, Anna Signeul preferred Chloe Arthur to Kirsty Smith at left-back. As expected, Rachel Corsie was pushed forward to give the back four extra protection, with no place in central midfield for Scotland's most capped outfield player, Jo Love.

Perversely, given all that was to follow, Scotland nearly made a sensational start with a great effort inside the opening minute. Jane Ross fired in a shot from 25 yards which her Manchester City team-mate Karen Bardsley did well to tip over the bar.

Arthur very quickly made her presence felt, putting in a shuddering tackle to leave an early mark on one of England's best players, Lucy Bronze, but although the right-back was shaken it didn't take her long to have a big influence on the game.

Scotland's good start continued when Lisa Evans sent in a low cross from the right and England captain Steph Houghton, another team-mate of Ross, had to be quick off the mark to prevent the striker tapping the ball home.

Unfortunately it started to unravel for Anna Signeul's side in the 11th minute, and when it did England took advantage ruthlessly.

Gemma Fay, making her 201stappearance, came out well to make a smothering save on the edge of the box – but then sent a poor kick down the middle. Within seconds, the lively Jordan Nobbs split the Scotland defence with an astute pass and Arsenal's Jodie Taylor made no mistake one-on-one with Fay.

The goal threw Scotland off their stride and they went two behind midway through the half. England took a free-kick on the left of the box and although Caroline Weir cleared Bronze's effort off the line, Taylor was following up to score her second.

The 31-year-old missed the entire qualifying campaign through injury but her first 26 minutes of tournament football were devastating for Signeul's side and it was to get worse for the Scots just after the half hour.

Jill Scott, one of England's most experienced players, sent in a shot which crashed back off the bar above Fay and from the rebound Ellen White made it 3-0.

The Scots made it to the interval without any further damage, and Signeul brought Lana Clelland on for Fiona Brown at the start of the second half. The Tavagnacco player took up the lone striking role with Ross dropping back.

That didn't stop the damage continuing at the other end. Houghton's long ball was headed cleverly forward by Scott and Taylor put the icing on her performance by lobbing Fay for her third. She was substituted by Mark Sampson shortly after, leaving to a standing ovation from the England fans.

Ross, upon whom Scotland's attacking hopes had rested at the start, was next to be substituted by Signeul, with Erin Cuthbert, whose 19th birthday it was, coming on to replace her.

There was almost a consolation goal when Clelland cut in from the right, but she put her effort into the side netting from a tight angle. Nevertherless nearly all the attacking threat was coming from England and Fay did well to prevent recent Barcelona signing Toni Duggan, who had come on for White, making it five.

Just as it seemed as if it couldn't get any worse it did. In the 86th minute, Jordan Nobbs' scored with a volley and deep into injury time Houghton headed a corner towards Duggan and the substitute beat Fay to make it six.

Scorers: England - Taylor 10, 26, 53, White 32, Nobbs 86, Duggan 90+4

Teams: England (4-2-3-1): Bardsley; Bronze, Houghton, Bright, Stokes; Moore, Scott; Nobbs, Kirby (Parris 64), White (Carney 73); Taylor (Duggan 60). Yellow card: Houghton. Unused subs: Chamberlain, Telford, Potter, Christiansen, Williams, Bassett, Greenwood, Scott

Scotland (4-14-1) Fay; Frankie Brown, Dieke, Barsley, Arthur; Corsie (Love 75); Evans, Crichton, Weir, Fiona Brown (Clelland 46); J Ross (Cuthbert 62). Yellow card: Weir. Unused subs: Lynn, Alexander, J Murray, L Ross, Lauder, Howard, Murray, McLauchlan, Smith.

Referee: E Staubli (Sui)