Hornby adds to goal haul and secures vital points for Scots

Fraser Hornby took his haul to five goals in two games as Scotland Under-21s secured a 2-1 victory in Holland last night.

Hornby won the points in the Uefa Under-21 Championship qualifier in Doetinchem by converting an 89th-minute penalty.

The Everton striker followed up his hat-trick in last week’s 3-0 win over Andorra by capitalising on a slack clearance from the home goalkeeper and flighting the ball home from 45 yards to give the Scots a 54th-minute lead.

Impressive goalkeeper Robby Mccrorie – who lined up in the same side as Rangers team-mate and twin brother Ross – was eventually beaten in the 70th minute by a deflected free-kick.

But Hornby moved Scotland two points above the Dutch in Group Four with an emphatic finish from the penalty spot after Lewis Ferguson had been brought down.

Both sides hit the frame of the goal in an open first half, Scotland twice through Mikey Johnston and Stevie Mallan.

Scot Gemmill’s side lost Allan Campbell to injury just before the break but Hornby was on hand to punish Justin Bijlow’s fluffed clearance after the goalkeeper raced out of his box to meet an under-hit back-pass.

Johnston came close to a second goal before Mccrorie pulled off two excellent stops.

But the goalkeeper was beaten by a major deflection as Teun Koopmeiners’ free-kick went in off a head in the Scotland wall.

The hosts piled on the pressure but substitute Ferguson was brought down in the box by Pablo Rosario, earning the home player a red card and Hornby a golden chance which he accepted.

Scotland went level on points with Ukraine but still face a major battle to qualify. They sit six points behind group leaders England with two matches left and face the top two teams in the group next month.

Only the four best runners-up qualify for the play-offs and most second-placed teams have bigger tallies than Scotland’s 14-point total.

Fraser Hornby has scored five goals in two games for the U21s.