Hearts star nets international hat-trick in jaw-dropping win as score hits double digits during epic thumping
The young Scots created history by setting a new record for the highest-winning margin over their Gibraltar counterparts
Hearts striker James Wilson bagged a hat-trick as Scotland Under-21s routed minnows Gibraltar by hitting double figures for the first time in history in their latest European Championship qualifier at Dens Park.
Scott Gemmill’s rising stars may be the weakest nation in Group B, but they managed to obliterate their previous highest-winning margin - a 7-0 demolition of San Marino five years ago - in impressive fashion on Tayside.
It also marked the young Scots first positive result of the qualification campaign following two consecutive defeats last month - a 2-0 loss against Czech Republic and a 2-1 reversal by Portugal at Fir Park.
Scotland came into the match in desperate need of a return to form and knew another slip-up would all but end any hopes of reaching the finals being held in Albania and Serbia.
Manchester City prospect Emilio Lawrence kick-started the goal-fest after just three minutes before the floodgates opened and the hosts raced into an unassailable 7-0 lead after only 33 minutes. Dire Mebude, Wilson (x2), Kyle Ure, Lawrence again and a Kevin Gonzalez own goal put the game to bed before half-time.
With maximum points in safe keeping, Gemmill rang the changes for the start of the second half with Hibs starlet Rudi Molotnikov making his 21s debut. And the game followed a similarly one-sided pattern.
Jambos frontman Wilson - who featured regularly for Derek McInnes’ side in the Premier Sports Cup campaign before seeing his game time restricted in recent months - completed his hat-trick after 48 minutes.
Lawrence notched another two before Miller Thomson and Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen got in on the act in the closing stages to wrap up the victory against their hapless opponents, who simply had no answer to Scotland’s dominance in the first meeting between the two countries at this level.
Scotland sit fourth in the six-team table on three points. They now head to Azerbaijan next Tuesday before facing Gibraltar away and Bulgaria at home in November.
The top side in the group will qualify directly, while the runners-up have a chance of being involved in the play-offs.
How Scotland lined-up against Gibraltar
Scotland XI: Ruairidh Adams, Matthew Anderson, Colby Donovan, Luke Graham, Dire Mebude, James Wilson, Emilio Lawrence, David Watson, Kristi Montgomery, Kyle Ure, Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen.
Subs: Liam McFarlane (GK), Rory Mahady (GK), Ben McPherson, Macaulay Tait, Ryan One, Rudi Molotnikov, Sam Cleall-Harding, Findlay Curtis, Miller Thomson.