Hibernian striker Steven Fletcher proved a point to watching national team boss George Burley as he inspired a 3-1 victory over Slovakia that keeps Scotland's UEFA Under-21 Championship final hopes alive.

The 21-year-old - demoted from the senior set-up for the opening World Cup qualifying double-header - reacted in the best possible fashion as the young Scots racked up a fifth straight competitive win.

Billy Stark's in-form side produced a fine display at the Falkirk Stadium to see off Slovenia and go a point clear of Finland at the top of group 6.

The Finns have two games remaining, firstly against Denmark on Friday, before the Scots finish their campaign away to the Danes on Tuesday.

Captain Fletcher took less than a minute to end his goal drought for the season by giving the hosts a perfect start - yet Burley had not even taken his seat in the stand to witness it.

Dundee United defender Garry Kenneth doubled the advantage two minutes from the interval, but Tim Matavz caused some concern by seizing on a Kenneth mistake to pull one back.

Man-of-the-match Fletcher, however, was in the mood and ensured a comfortable finish through his 64th-minute header, with Aberdeen's Charlie Mulgrew even missing a late penalty.

With the 10 group winners and four best runners-up making up the play-offs in the fight to reach next summer's finals in Sweden, Tuesday is now pivotal to Scotland's hopes.

Stark made two changes from the side that emphatically won 3-0 in Lithuania last month.

Injured pair Paul Caddis and James McArthur missed out, with Kenneth and Fletcher both returning - soon to good effect.

Slovenia, second-bottom of the table, only had pride to play for and the Scots, buoyed by a 4-0 win over their opponents last November, were intent on a fast opening.

The breakthrough arrived after just 58 seconds. After Kevin McDonald had won the ball in midfield, Cardiff forward Ross McCormack slipped a neat pass into Fletcher on the edge of the area.

And the marksman drilled a left-footed shot across Udinese goalkeeper Jan Koprivec and into the bottom corner.

With their tails up after a dream opening, the attack-minded Scots sought a quick second.

Burnley midfielder McDonald almost obliged, but he could not keep his 18-yard shot down after McCormack's clever centre.

The impressive McDonald was in the thick of the early action and on 10 minutes swung over a right-wing cross that saw Mulgrew head just over while colliding with a hesitant Koprivec.

Slovenia had barely shown an attacking instinct but on 23 minutes Nejc Pecnik struck a fierce long-range free-kick that Jamie MacDonald could only hold at the second attempt.

Koprivec, who had looked far from convincing, saw his night end on 32 minutes, as he trooped off injured to be replaced by Matjaz Rozman.

The second then arrived for the hosts two minutes from half-time. With Slovenia down to 10 men as Pecnik waited to come back on after claiming injury, Mulgrew delivered an in-swinging free-kick that Kenneth glanced onwards.

Unlucky to see his header hit the post, the Tannadice player was then fortunate to see the ball ricochet back across goal and leave him an easy tap-in.

McCormack, who tormented down the left throughout, almost laid on a goal after the restart when his clipped cross was just cleared from the line by Aleksander Rajcevic as Fletcher lurked.

But Kenneth soon turned from saint to sinner when Slovenia reduced their arrears in the 54th minute.

The defender carelessly gifted the ball to Mitja Viler and he fed Matavz who had time to pick his spot under MacDonald.

Fletcher almost quickly regained the Scots' two-goal lead, but he was stretching just too far as he headed over another Mulgrew free-kick.

But the same duo combined to settle Stark's nerves on 64 minutes. Mulgrew whipped in a cross from the left and Fletcher pulled off his marker to direct an excellent header back across goal to net. McCormack soon rattled the bar with a stinging free-kick and, at the death, sub Calum Elliot was brought down by Rok Elsner, but Mulgrew's weak penalty was easily saved by Rozman.

Teams:

Scotland U21 MacDonald, Cuthbert, Considine, Kenneth, Wallace,Arfield, McDonald (Robertson 88), Lennon (Hamill 78), Mulgrew,McCormack, Fletcher (Elliot 88).

Subs Not Used: McLean, Stevenson, Reynolds, Campbell.

Booked: Considine.

Goals: Fletcher 1, Kenneth 43, Fletcher 64.

Slovenia U21 Koprivec (Rozman 32), Salkic, Apatic, Elsner,Rajcevic, Korun, Mihelic, Viler (Trifkovic 79), Matavz, Pecnik,Velikonja.

Subs Not Used: Omladic, Tolimir, Mijatovic, Bezjak, Plut.

Booked: Elsner.

Goals: Matavz 54.

Att: 4,501

Ref: Andrejs Sipailo (Latvia).

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