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Joe Harper: Scotland boss Steve Clarke should be bold as he chases Nations League top spot

Lyndon Dykes came off the bench to score twice against Ukraine.
Lyndon Dykes came off the bench to score twice against Ukraine.

The stage is set for a rip-roaring big game at Hampden on Saturday as Scotland bid to win their Nations League Group B1.

Wednesday’s 3-0 win against Ukraine was a result and performance to savour and it now sets us up for a huge match against the Republic of Ireland tomorrow night.

Scotland need four points from their final two games against Ireland and Ukraine, who we play again in Poland on Tuesday.

Victory against the Irish tomorrow ends their hopes of winning the group and would mean a draw in Krakow next week is enough.

But given how well we played on Wednesday there is no reason why we cannot take maximum points from the remaining games.

It was such a nice feeling to wake up yesterday basking in the glow of watching such an impressive performance from Scotland.

Scotland’s John McGinn celebrates scoring to make it 1-0 against Ukraine.

There was not a weakness in Steve Clarke’s team from the goalkeeper to the strikers.

The tempo was terrific, the pressure we put on Ukraine was excellent and we dominated from start to finish.

A few people have said we could have done more in the first half but I think that’s being harsh on the team and underestimating the quality of the opposition.

It’s really tough to be on top for the full 90 minutes in international football but our guys were pretty close to a perfect performance.

If we played to that level every game we would be qualifying for every major tournament – that’s how good we were at Hampden.

Lessons learned from last Ukraine encounter

When we played Ukraine in the World Cup play-off semi-final earlier in the year it was a unique occasion.

It was an emotional moment for Ukraine given the invasion of their country by Russia and there was something more than national pride at stake for the players in that game.

Looking back maybe Scotland got caught up in it all but Wednesday showed how much we have learned since then and it was great to see the players all working so hard for each other and playing as one team to nullify their threat.

Winning our group is important.

It gives us a second bite of the cherry if we fail to qualify from our section for Euro 2024 but more importantly winning this group would elevate us to Pot 2 for when the qualifying draw is made next month.

That is massive for Scotland.

Lyndon Dykes should start alongside Che Adams

With so much at stake the Scotland boss has a big decision to make when picking his team to face Ireland.

Lyndon Dykes came off the bench to score two terrific goals and will have Clarke considering whether to hand him a start.

But I don’t think you can discount the work Che Adams puts in. He worked Ukraine hard and caused them all sorts of problems with his pace.

The striker in me says start both of them against Ireland.

It would be a big call given how well the team played on Wednesday but it’s a risk worth taking as far as I’m concerned.

Jack Milne deserves his chance at Aberdeen

It’s time for Jack Milne to be given his chance with Aberdeen in the absence of Liam Scales.

Scales is an excellent player and losing him for the Kilmarnock game next week is a sore one for Dons boss Jim Goodwin to take.

The circumstances of Scales’ suspension will sting the Dons boss the most.

Every manager in the country would be raging to have the triple whammy of seeing their player unjustly penalised when he was fouled, sent-off then suspended for the next game.

Jack Milne has been on the bench for the Dons

Everyone has had their say on the flashpoint with Ryan Porteous of Hibs last weekend and I can’t add much other than to say Porteous is the one who should be punished for his shenanigans and not Scales.

Milne has been on the bench regularly but when the Dons have had to make a change in central defence it has led to Ross McCrorie being put in there.

I don’t like that as McCrorie, along with Jonny Hayes, provides the drive in the middle of the park and the team has suffered when he has not been in there.

There aren’t much better chances to play a younger player than a home game against a struggling Kilmarnock and if Milne is good enough to be on the bench he is good enough to be involved.

Hartley’s exit from Hartlepool is no surprise

Paul Hartley, pictured at his first press conference as Hartlepool boss, has been sacked after three months in charge.

Paul Hartley knew what he was getting into when he took the Hartlepool United manager’s job and his departure after just three months comes as no surprise.

I used to go with a friend to watch them when my old pal Neale Cooper was the manager and there is no patience and no common sense at the club.

The chairman is ruthless and to see Hartley ushered out the door after just nine league games is to be expected.

He is the 13th manager United have had since Neale left in October 2012 and that’s not including the long list of caretaker bosses.

As far as I’m concerned he should never have left Cove Rangers.

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