CHRISTOPHE BERRA dedicated his goal to the memory of Dave Mackay as Scotland warmed up for Sunday's Euro 2016 qualifier against Gibraltar with a narrow friendly victory over Northern Ireland at Hampden.

Berra's header from debutant Matt Ritchie's corner five minutes from time proved the only goal of a humdrum match low on quality. The evening had begun with a minute's tribute to Hearts and Scotland legend Mackay, who passed away earlier this month, and Berra was pleased to have marked the moment with his own personal tribute.

"Was my goal a tribute to him? I think so," said Berra, like Mackay a former Hearts defender. "I met him a couple of times when I was at Hearts. He was a confident person. I think it was the way he played, he wasn't shy and had a great career with Scotland, Hearts and Spurs. A great deal of respect has been shown to him in football, especially British football.

"He was strong and could bully people and a player people could relate to -especially the working class. He had a great career and that minute's applause was great for him and his family."

The goal was also significant for Berra. The Ipswich Town defender has barely featured for Scotland in recent years, Gordon Strachan preferring the central defensive pairing of Grant Hanley and Russell Martin. After years in the wilderness, this was a cathartic moment.

"That was my first Scotland appearance in a long time and it meant a lot to get 45 minutes," he added. "To also score a goal was even better. I'd almost scored from a corner five minutes before the goal when I had a header at the front post. I maybe should have done better. I said to Matt to hang it up a bit and it was there to go and attack. I stuck my head on it and thankfully it went into the back of the net. It's my third goal for Scotland and my sixth of the season. As a defender, it's good to add goals to my name.

"It does mean a lot to play for Scotland again because I've worked hard for it. I've been playing well for Ipswich and got fans' Player of the Year last season. All I can do is play well for my club, I feel I have been."

Sunday's game against GIbraltar would seem to provide the perfect opportunity for Steven Fletcher to end his international goal drought. The Sunderland forward has scored just once for his country - against Iceland almost exactly six years ago - and passed up a couple of chances to double his tally during his 45-minute appearance last night. No player has scored a hat-trick for Scotland since Colin Stein bagged four against Cyprus in 1969 but Fletcher isn't getting too far ahead of himself.

"I need to get one goal just now never mind a hat-trick!" he smiled. "Listen, if we get the opportunities hopefully we can take them. If that means one of us getting a few, then great. First and foremost, we just want to get the goals that give us a win and push up the table. We're not going in there thinking we're going to run them into the ground. We just want to put on a performance that the gaffer sets us out to do and if we do that hopefully we can get the win.

"Goal difference doesn't matter against them but it will matter in terms of confidence. We've got a massive game against Ireland in the summer so if we can get a win and a few goals it will be happy days. I'm looking to get back on the score sheet as soon as possible as it's been a while. But it doesn't prey on my mind. If I wasn't getting chances, I'd be complaining but I'm getting them so I just need to start taking them."