Hearts youngster sends message to Pocognoli as Scotland Under-21s hit goal trail
James Wilson on target as Tony Docherty gets off to winning start
James Wilson continued his excellent start to the season with a goal for Scotland Under-21s in a 5-2 win over Azerbaijan at Rugby Park on Wednesday night.
The Hearts youngster was initially called up to Sebastien Pocognoli's senior side but was redeployed to the Under-21s alongside Rangers winger Findlay Curtis after last week's training camp in La Manga.
Former Dundee boss Tony Docherty took charge of the Under-21s for the first time following his recent appointment after long-serving head coach Scot Gemmill departed the role this summer.
The victory moved Scotland above Bulgaria, their final opponents, in third place in Group B of the UEFA Under-21 Championship qualifiers. But any hopes of beating Czechia to a play-off spot were extinguished earlier when the second-placed side beat Bulgaria.
Hearts goalkeeper Liam McFarlane, who is on a season-long loan at Partick Thistle, started the game with Wilson deployed on the left of a front three.
Azerbaijan took the lead against the run of play in the 21st minute when Nariman Akhundzade ran at the defence and McFarlane could only help his angled shot into the net.
Scotland responded in impressive fashion and were 3-1 up eight minutes later.
West Brom's Barmey Stewart netted a quickfire double, heading home a cross from Curtis before bundling in his second from close range two minutes later.
Scotland soon went further ahead when Wilson headed home Curtis’ cross from six yards following a quick free-kick.
Tyler Fletcher put Scotland 4-1 up from a narrow angle after Curtis had rounded the goalkeeper before Azerbaijan pulled a goal back through Raul Mammadov.
However, Curtis produced his fourth assist of the night with a positive run setting up substitute Bobby Wales, the on-loan Dundee striker, to net Scotland's fifth in the 81st minute.