STRACH JOY AS OWN GOAL SAVES SCOTS

SCOTLAND snatched a last-gasp World Cup lifeline on a night of drama at Hampden.

Playing against 10 men for three-quarters of the game, Scotland boss Gordon Strachan (below) saw his side struggle to beat the excellent Martin Dubravka in the Slovak goal.

But Martin Skrtel did what Scotland couldn’t – by beating his own keeper less than two minutes from time.

Barry Bannen found Ikechi Anya on the right and his whipped ball across goal was attacked by Chris Martin, but Skrtel got his foot in ahead of him only to deflect it past Dubravka.

Andy Roberston created the first good chance with a cross into the six-yard box after seven minutes for Leigh Griffiths, who just needed a touch to score, but couldn’t quite reach.

Two minutes later, Kieran Tierney burst into the right edge of the box and went down under a push from Robert Mak, only to see his penalty claim waved away.

Mak escaped any punishment there but was booked for a rash challenge in the back on James Forrest, which returned to haunt him.

Christophe Berra came close to giving Scotland the lead with a header from Griffiths’ cross after 19 minutes but Dubravka made the save of his life to claw the ball away on the line one-handed.

Midway through the half, drama erupted in the Scotland box as Mak went down as Craig Gordon – winning his 50th cap – came out to meet him. But rather than signal a penalty, ref Milorad Mazic reached for a second yellow and sent off Mak, a decision vindicated by the replay, showing a clear dive.

Nine minutes from the break, Scotland fans stared in disbelief that they had not opened the scoring. Griffiths took a pass on the right wing, cut inside and curled a left-footer from 20 yards. It was bending inside the far post but

Dubravka made another world-class save, one-handed at full stretch, low down, to keep the scores level.

Then, Griffiths’ vicious, bending 20-yard drive looked good enough to open the scoring, only for Dubravka to beat it away, this time two-handed.

Chris Martin replaced James Forrest and within minutes that move so nearly paid off when he crashed a top 25-yard effort off the bar with Dubravka well beaten.

Moments later,

Griffiths also hit the bar with a free-kick, and as the ball came back into the box, Dubravka once again thwarted Morrison with a point-blank save.

But he was finally beaten by his own man, Skrtel, meaning Scotland must beat Slovenia on Sunday to finish second.

IN THE PINK Scotland go crazy after last-gasp winner