Burley feels Scots deserved a draw

George Burley insisted Scotland did enough for a draw as their World Cup qualifying campaign got off to the worst possible start with a 1-0 defeat in Macedonia.

In his first competitive game in charge, Burley watched his side concede just five minutes into the game in a wretched first-half display in Skopje.

But Burley, still without a win four games after taking over, insists his side's improved second-half display deserved more.

'Disappointed to lose but all of the second half I thought we dominated the game,' he told Setanta Sports.

'We kept battling away until the end and I thought they deserved something out of it.'

Scotland were denied what appeared two good penalty shouts in the same attack when Kenny Miller and James McFadden were brought down in the box.

'I spoke to the boys and they thought it was a stonewall penalty,' said Burley, who refused to criticise a referee he had expressed concern about in the build-up to the match.

'Overall, the referee had a good game. Maybe that decision he got wrong.'

Burley refused to use the heat as an excuse for his side's slow start and revealed how his half-time team-talk led to an improved second-half showing.

"I said 'I want you to step on a bit more, not back off them, put them under pressure'," he said.

'And, second half, I thought we were outstanding. We played some good football, passed it well, but their keeper's made a few good saves.'

He added: 'You don't always get what you deserve.'

Burley set a target of 17 points out of 24 from Scotland's Group 9 campaign but he does not believe Wednesday's match in Iceland has now become a must-win game.

But he said: 'You're always looking to pick points up.'