Scotland grind out win

The tiny North Atlantic outpost has not been a happy hunting ground in the past but the curse of the Faroes finally came to an end thanks to goals from Shaun Maloney and Garry O'Connor.

Maloney made the most of his inclusion in the top team by grabbing the opener with a superb free-kick, before O'Connor doubled the advantage a week after bagging the winner in a friendly in Austria.

Skipper Barry Ferguson had been rated slightly doubtful for this crucial clash with a calf strain but the Rangers midfielder passed a late fitness test while Maloney was drafted into the first team on the left of midfield after Wigan's Lee McCulloch was forced to withdraw from the squad with an ankle injury.

Kris Boyd should have opened the scoring when a Gary Alexander ball struck Frodi Benjaminsen and fell kindly to the feet of the Scotland striker only for him to blast over when it looked easier to score.

The breakthrough came after 31 minutes. Oli Johannesen was booked for a challenge on Boyd 22 yards out before Maloney stepped up to send the free-kick curling over the Faroes' wall and into the bottom corner of the net. Scotland doubled their lead four minutes later when O'Connor pounced on a Fletcher cross into the box and managed to stab low into the net from six yards.

Despite trailing by two goals, the home side had the best of the possession after half-time and could have reduced the deficit. Borg hooked just over the crossbar from a Jacobsen cross, before Holst stabbed inches wide of the upright from close range.

The Faroes continued to pile on the pressure in the hope of mounting a comeback and Mikkjal Thomassen was not too far away with a shot from distance, which fell wide of the post. Gordon was then forced to race from his line to block a point-blank effort from Borg as the home side grew in confidence.

Scotland made their first change with just over 20 minutes to go when Fletcher was replaced by Gary Teale while young Kilmarnock striker Steven Naismith was handed his first senior cap late on, taking the place of Boyd.

There was a scare with a couple of minutes to go when Andrew av Flotum struck the crossbar but Scotland managed to hold on for the three crucial points.