Substitute Jamie Murphy was the hero for Scotland as his injury-time strike gave the under-21s a last-gasp win against Belarus in their European Championship qualifier at St Mirren.

The 20-year-old Motherwell striker came off the bench to score from a tight angle in the second minute of added time as the hosts grabbed the three points.

Billy Stark's side now lie in second place behind equal points-holders Australia in Group 10, thanks to their inferior goal difference.

The hosts took a while to settle and the opening stages were limited to speculative long shorts from both sides.

But a well-worked free-kick in the 25th minute almost broke the deadlock when Kevin McDonald's header was deflected off a Belarus defender before the visiting keeper Illia Haurylau made a great save to keep the score level.

Eight minutes later, the Belarus keeper made another fine stop from a Chris Macguire free-kick that looked destined for the back of the net.

Scotland increased the pressure and McDonald missed a sitter in the 39th minute when he headed a Maguire cross off-target despite being unmarked just six yards out.

Stark's side struggled to find a breakthrough after the break and Belarus seemed content to hold out for a point.

Substitute Murphy was sent through by Barry Bannon in the 68th minute only to watch his angled shot fail to challenge Haurylau.

Scotland debutant Ross Perry headed a Bannon corner wide of the target from 10 yards eight minutes before time.

Almost immediately, Haurylau made another fine save from another Bannon corner at his right-hand post from Macguire's goal-bound header.

But in the second minute of injury time, the impressive Murphy finished off a flowing move when he reached the goal-line before blasting in an angled drive to give the Scots a dramatic late win.