Stevie Mallan in '˜happy position' and ready to hit top form for Hibs

Stevie Mallan wants to help Scotland Under-21s reach the European Championship finals

The midfielder helped Scotland Under-21s beat Andorra 3-0 on Thursday evening, playing a part in two of hat-trick hero Fraser Hornby’s goals at Tynecastle.

Mallan – scorer of six goals this term – feels he’s getting back to his best having started every match this season for Neil Lennon’s side after joining the Easter Road club in July following a frustrating 12-month spell at Barnsley.He said: “In the space of a month and a half, I have played more football than I did in the whole of last season. I couldn’t be more pleased about that.

“I have a manager who has faith in me and just wants me to do well. I am in a happy position now and I want to keep going.”

Mallan will line up in Doetinchem on Tuesday evening as the Under-21s look to keep their European Championship play-off hopes alive against the Netherlands. The former St Mirren man played a starring role in Hibs’ fine Europa League run earlier this season and hopes to put that experience to good use against the Dutch.

“With Hibs we played Molde away and Asteris away and they were really hard games,” he said. “I think I can take the experience of those matches with me to Holland because that will be a tough game too.

“They will have a point to prove after we beat them here.

“But with the quality we have in the squad I think we can go there and get a result.”