Scotland 2 - 0 Macedonia: Silver lining delivered with a cloud

Enjoy the feelgood while you can. Bask in its warmth. Scotland did what they needed to do, beating the Macedonians, improving the goal difference and lending some meaning to Wednesday's meeting with the Dutch. The hope of a place in the play-offs remains. Distant hope, perhaps. But hope none the less.

This was the finest day in Burley's otherwise grim existence as Scotland boss. Good things happened here. Scott Brown's first goal for his country; another cheeky one for James McFadden; some critical brilliance from Craig Gordon between the sticks and heaps of chances created by a team that found itself as an attacking force in the second half.

That's the upside. The downside is that despite not conceding, Scotland's defending at the heart of their back four was a horror show at times. Gordon was the game's outstanding player because he kept his team in it at 0-0 with a number of significant saves. If one of those went in, we might be sending for the gallows right now. Scotland got away with it against Goran Pandev and chums but they wouldn't want to be so loose against the heavyweights in the Dutch attack on Wednesday night.

Which brings to us back to McFadden. He got booked just before the half-time break and he will miss the Holland game. McFadden seemed to claim later that it was a case of mistaken identity, but whatever the truth of it, he's suspended. On a night when magic is required, Burley will have to get by without his chief conjuror. For the manager, every silver lining has a cloud, it seems.

Burley was as animated as we've seen him. Whooping and hollering when the goals went in, skipping and jumping with the joy of it all. His nerves would have been shredded by then – all that Macedonian goal threat would have put years on him – but the manager deserved this victory.

It was a clear win in the end but, Lord, it was in doubt for an awfully long time. The visitors had all the early chances – Scotland didn't have a shot on target in the entire first half – and it was Pandev causing the trouble for Stephen McManus and Davie Weir. Neither of them could keep him quiet.

Pandev rolled Weir and forced a save out of Gordon as early as the 11th minute, then he almost seized on a defensive meltdown between McManus and Graham Alexander, Gordon snuffing that one out too. After that, Pandev turned McManus and blasted a shot low to Gordon's left. Once again, the goalkeeper kept it out.

While all this was going on, Scotland were toiling. Brown had two shots in the opening half, both of them flying wide. But the Celtic man was involved in other ways. Close to the end of the first half, the referee called for a drop-ball. Brown indicated he was going to tap it back to the Macedonians but lashed it instead, the ball taking a deflection off a Macedonian and going out for a corner.A gleeful smirk came over Brown's face.

The Macedonians went nuts. Their players surrounded Brown in large numbers and barked their disapproval. McFadden got himself booked in the immediate aftermath. That was hardly the end of it, though. When the half-time whistle sounded, the ill-feeling was still raging. Veliche Sumulikoski went for Brown. So did the Macedonian manager, Mirsad Jonuz. Feisty stuff. And it was the prelude to a quite brilliant second half.

Chances flowed at both ends and a few hearts may have stopped along the way. Scotland looked like scoring – and then missed. Macedonia looked like scoring – and also missed. It was dizzying stuff, beginning with McFadden just four minutes into the half. He engineered the chance for himself, taking the ball past Goce Sedloski and into the perfect position for a curler into the left side of Jane Nikoloski's goal. McFadden, though, made a hash of it.

Down the other end, heroics from Gordon. Two minutes after McFadden's chance, there was a life-saving Gordon block from Pandev and a minute after that, back in Macedonia's box, Miller's shot was spilled by Nikoloski, the ball rolling invitingly across the six yard area, tantalising the Scots. It was hoofed clear before any of them could reach it.

Four minutes later: nirvana. Steven Fletcher's sweet cross, Brown's leap in front of Sedloski and a wonderful glancing header past Nikoloski. Brown almost blew a gasket celebrating the goal and you could hardly blame him. All the pent-up fury came out the moment the ball nestled in the Macedonian net. And all of Hampden's worries and fears were dynamited too.

But nothing is ever easy for Scotland, is it? Every win is hard-earned and this was no different. Eight minutes after Brown scored, Macedonia should have equalised. They had the most glorious chance – and they blew it sky high. Once again Pandev was involved, though he was not the culpable one. He simply did the hard graft up the left and rolled the ball into Slavcho Georgievski's path for what should have been a straightforward finish. The Macedonian ballooned his shot over Gordon's crossbar.

It was a serious warning for Scotland and, in fairness to them, they heeded it well. The rest of the match belonged to the home team. McFadden almost created something out of nothing, Steven Whittaker poked just wide and Miller – worst of all – pulled a shot across goal when he really ought to have put it away.

The assurance goal was desperately needed and it duly came from the gallus one. McFadden sauntered downfield, an imp faced by the twin giants of Sedloski and Igor Metreski. He ran through the pair of them, rounded the goalkeeper and stuck it away. The Macedonians looked bemused, McFadden looked delirious and Hampden went wild.

We'll all be back on Wednesday, with the exception of McFadden. Such a shame, that. All that's left to do now is dream. And pray.

HOW SCOTLAND RATED

CRAIG GORDON 8

Kept Scotland in the match with three fine saves. His presence spread confidence through the defence.

ALAN HUTTON 6

Looked to surge forward at every opportunity and became an increasingly effective attacking weapon.

DAVID WEIR 6

Troubled by Pandev's pace on occasion, but brought a much needed level of composure to the Scotland defence.

STEPHEN McMANUS 6

Understandably rustybut made some crucial interventions.

CALLUM DAVIDSON 2

The left-back's 19th appearance for his country was cut short by injury after just 14 minutes, Steven Whittaker replacing him.

GRAHAM ALEXANDER 6

Again selected ahead of Paul Hartleythe Burnley veteran initially struggled with the pace but stuck to his task diligently.

SCOTT BROWN 6

Came closest for Scotland in the first half with two long range strikes before nodding home a precious first goal for his country. Earned a senseless booking by refusing to give the Macedonians the ball back after an injury stoppage.

DARREN FLETCHER 6

Retained the captain's armband, but found that 'killer pass' elusive. Delivered a tidy, intelligent contribution.

JAMES McFADDEN 7

Lit up Hampden with his solo run and finish which secured victory. Booking for involvement in Brown incident means he will miss Wednesday night's match.

KENNY MILLER 7

Appeared hampered by an injury in the first half but shrugged it off to produce a typically tireless and unselfish shift.

STEVEN FLETCHER 6

Justified his inclusion with the sweetly delivered left-foot cross which picked out Brown's run for the opening goal.

SUBSTITUTES

Steven Whittaker (for Davidson, 14min) Took advantage of his early introduction to state a strong claim for the problematic left-back slot. Solid in defence and excellent going forward. 7

Shaun Maloney (for Fletcher, 68) The Celtic wide man gave the Macedonian defence fresh problemsand almost stabbed home a third for Scotland. 6

Paul Hartley (for Brown, 73) Helped shore things up in the final stages.5

STEPHEN HALLIDAY