MOTHERWELL forward Jamie Murphy hopes his first goal for the Scotland Under-21s can help his campaign for a first-team spot at Fir Park.
The 19-year-old took less than three minutes of his first start for Billy Stark's side to lash home Paul Caddis' low cross against Northern Ireland last night.
The visitors went on to claim a 3-1 victory at New Douglas Park but Murphy was the outs
tanding player in dark blue. The teenager also hit the post and gave his markers plenty of problems with his skill and movement.
Murphy, who came on for his debut last month against Denmark, said: "It's great. It's the best thing to get picked for your country and to score is even better.
"I got a taste against Denmark. I looked about the team and most of them were playing first team, week in, week out. So that's definitely where I want to be.
"I'm sure the real Scotland manager watches these games and if he is looking out for you, it can only be good."
Murphy has made real strides towards becoming a first-team regular at Motherwell this season, netting twice in six starts for Mark McGhee's men.
"I've been quite pleased with how I have played but I'm always looking to improve and always looking to get a start," he said. "I think I started four games in a row and that can only help me.
"I certainly feel fitter. When I played a year or two ago and came on as a sub, I wasn't as fit as the rest of the players. But I feel I'm getting up to the fitness of the rest of the team now."
Murphy started through the middle last night before moving wide and he claims he is comfortable in both positions.
"I'll play anywhere," he said. "As I was growing up, I have always played up front. It's only recently I have been moved to right midfield, but either or is fine with me, just as long as it's attacking."
Murphy may have added another goal to his tally had he taken the 43rd-minute penalty Scott Arfield missed.
Arfield had taken the ball off Murphy after they appeared to begin taking part in a game of "paper, scissors, stone".
The same method was used before Charlie Mulgrew missed a penalty during September's win over Slovenia after Ross McCormack had pleaded for the ball.
But Murphy revealed Celtic full-back Caddis stepped in last night to make the decision.
"The skipper came over, Paul Caddis, and he decided for us," Murphy said. "I was confident in Scotty; he has scored a couple of penalties for Falkirk this season. He was just unlucky."
Bournemouth striker Josh McQuoid, making his debut, scored twice against the young Scots, and Andrew Little effectively ended the contest three minutes after the break when he hammered home from close range.
Of McQuoid's impressive first game for the team, Northern Ireland Under-21s manager Steve Beaglehole noted:
"He has been playing wide, but I saw his role as down the middle.
"With the pace he's got, he caused problems for Scotland. He looked like a natural centre-forward and was the most effective player on the park."
There was no respite for Beaglehole after the game at Hamilton – he drove straight back home, 257 miles away.
Despite the clock ticking towards 4am before he got to bed, Beaglehole was back on the training ground a few hours later as coach of Leicester's Academy side.
They have an FA Youth Cup game against MK Dons on Saturday, and Beaglehole said: "I wanted to work with the players because I had been away all week.
"It was a long drive. But it did not bother me too much after the decent result against Scotland."
Scotland Under-21 manager Stark now has just one more game to fashion a squad capable of qualifying for the 2011 European Championships.
The friendly date, confirmed for February, is the last time Stark will have his players before the next European Championship qualifiers begin in March, and on Tuesday night's evidence, the young Scots will have a job to make the finals.
The Scotland boss, who gave debuts of various lengths to ten players, knows he has little time to whip his side in to shape.
He said: "For one of their goals we had two centre halves going for the ball and that's what happens when you only have new players together for a couple of days.
"The players met on Sunday and we trained on Monday. We have one more friendly and it is difficult to get the players released for any more games and even for get-togethers.
"But that's not a complaint. That's the way international football is and it's not an excuse for last night's result."
Beaglehole hopes to have his players together for more time than his Scottish counterpart. "We have a game against Ukraine scheduled for early March but we will try and get a couple of get-togethers before the qualifiers begin and maybe a game or two against Irish League sides," said Beaglehole.
"I was very pleased with the result last night. I am a big admirer of Billy and we are both in the same boat with transitional sides.
"Scotland started well and scored and we had to weather the storm. But after that we looked good and I thought we controlled the game for long periods.
"We had some luck with the penalty save and a double save near the end which might have made the score closer, but overall I was very pleased with some of the performances in our team."
