If any Scotland supporter had been told beforehand that their team would lose 3-2 to England at Wembley, the scoreline would surely have been keenly grasped as a positive.

And so it proved on a muggy night in London. Gordon Strachan's team made a game of it against England and, despite clearly lacking their opponents' loftier skills, twice held the lead.

It wasn't just tiredness, but also inadequacy, which did for Scotland in the end. England struck a post, and might have won more comfortably, but none of this could take away from an impressive Scottish display for much of the game.

Perversely, there was not a lot to read into this game or outcome. Except this: Scottish fans can surely trust Strachan as manager. Following the 1-0 away win against Croatia in June, this was further evidence that he has a plan and a purpose, and can implement them.

Before a ball had been kicked, Strachan was taking dogs' abuse in some quarters for selecting Kenny Miller to lead Scotland's attack - but both manager and player emphatically won the argument, and not just through Miller scoring a fine goal.

The way the 33-year-old striker wrong-footed Gary Cahill to fire Scotland into a 2-1 lead after 49 minutes was impressive enough. But, in general, the put-upon Miller displayed enough outfield work and intelligence to more than justify his continued presence with the team.

At his age Miller is on borrowed time with Scotland. Sooner rather than later he will disappear from the national colours. But Strachan's attacking options are severely limited, and events at Wembley proved him emphatically right on the night.

Strachan was also bold. He didn't try to shore up, he tried to attack England. When Robert Snodgrass came off, it was Craig Conway, a winger and an attacker, who replaced him.

Scotland finished the night with two strikers, Leigh Griffiths and Jordan Rhodes, on the pitch. Strachan is no faint-heart.

There was an obvious superiority about England which will have surprised no-one. Scotland in recent times - though by no means throughout international football history - have had to live with the fact that their vastly bigger neighbour by definition has so many better players.

It seemed a minor miracle, going into this match, that of the 110 fixtures between these two countries so far, Scotland had managed to win 41 to England's 45.

The Scots had no-one of the calibre of Jack Wilshere, Tom Cleverley, Danny Welbeck or Theo Walcott. In raw talent England remain streets ahead. But it spoke volumes for Scotland that they enjoyed times of composure and possession which gave England pause for thought.

Scott Brown, a Celtic and Scotland captain, has had plenty detractors down the years, and will remain a player of obvious flaws. But Brown had an impressive hour for Scotland, repeatedly robbing England of possession and always being there to take the ball in tight spaces.

The Scotland captain tired after his endless running, but this game was a reminder of why many a manager, at club or international level, has placed his faith in him.

James Morrison's strike for Scotland after 11 minutes was blistering in its execution. A ruck of England players closed the midfielder down but Morrison's venomous shot from 20 yards somehow found a route through them all and threatened to bruise Joe Hart's fingers as the England goalkeeper hesitated and then fumbled while trying to stop it.

The goal, coming so early, was both a tonic and a warning to Scotland. To be clear underdogs, and claim such an early lead, was exhilarating for the Tartan Army. But it left England with fully 79 minutes to rectify matters, and they duly did.

Scotland were seen to be vulnerable at set-pieces - an area in which, whatever else their failings, they had looked pretty robust down the years.

But Danny Welbeck and Rickie Lambert, both with headers within yards of Alan McGregor's goal, revealed the limitations of Russell Martin and Grant Hanley as Scotland's centre-back pairing.

It has been said many a time before, and it can be said again: if this Scotland team could only find a composed and dominant centre-half.

The next Jim Holton or Alex McLeish…where are you?