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Euroscout sported its best flat-cap and Barbour to watch young Hibernian striker Steven Fletcher bag two goals as Scotland Under-21s beat Slovenia 3-1.

The win put the in-form junior Scots top of their European Championship qualifying group and led to a senior recall for Fletcher.

Fletcher - who has been targeted by Real Madrid and Aston Villa as well as the Old Firm duo of Celtic and Rangers - is a bustling striker who boasts a good first-touch in addition to his physical attributes.

He made his full international debut in May, a 1-1 friendly draw with Croatia, and has already scored 41 senior goals for Hibs.

He was disappointed to be dropped by the grown-up squad for their World Cup qualifiers after failing to score in his first seven competitive matches of the season, but this performance - and Scotland's 1-0 defeat at Macedonia - led to a recall for the must-win match against Iceland.

The 21-year-old seems to be rather one-footed and lacks the pace of international team-mate Kenny Miller, but he has a lot of guile, best shown when he opened the scoring on 58 seconds.

He made a superb diagonal run between the centre-backs to latch onto a Ross McCormack through ball, before drilling a low, left-footed shot into the bottom-right corner.

The goal demonstrated game intelligence and good technique, not to mention a killer instinct to take the shot first-time from a difficult angle.

Fletcher then showed willingness to battle aerially when, eight minutes later, the 6'1" hit-man challenged for a Charlie Mulgrew cross in the box which Ross McCormack ultimately met.

Fletcher was a busy presence in and around the Slovenia box, and was almost played clean through just after the half hour. But a defender beat him to slide back and play the ball to his keeper, highlighting a possible lack of basic speed over the first five yards.

He then took a knock to his ankle and was forced to leave the pitch, but he soon returned to the action and was involved in Garry Kenneth's goal, his movement in the box affording his team-mate time and space to score his first goal at this level.

The second half saw more of the same from Fletcher and Scotland, although their guests pulled a goal back.

Fletcher was denied a scoring opportunity by the outstretched leg of a defender diverting the ball away from him. The throw that followed saw him aim a clever flick-on into the box, but his team-mates were not on the same wavelength.

Fletcher got his second just after the hour when the impressive Aberdeen left-winger Mulgrew sent in a quick free-kick from the left, which he ghosted in to head across goal into the bottom left corner.

He showed his core attributes in scoring that goal - movement to find space, anticipation to predict the improvised delivery and heading ability to rise and guide the ball past the keeper.

He almost bagged a hat-trick soon afterwards when, from an identical play also involving Mulgrew, he found space at the far post - but the keeper was wise to the cross this time.

With the match effectively won, Fletcher quietened, and he came off to a standing ovation with three minutes remaining.

Overall, it was an impressive performance that could continue to turn heads at bigger clubs.

Steven Fletcher: Summary

Pace: 6/10

Skill: 7.5/10

Strength: 7/10

Aerial ability: 8/10

Finishing: 7/10

Movement: 8/10

Work-rate: 7/10

Right foot: 4/10

Left foot: 10/10

Current ability: 7/10

Potential ability: 8.5/10

Reda Maher / Eurosport