World Cup

[monks data]

World Cup Qualifying - Europe | Group Stage

Sep 4, 2016 at 7.45pm UK

Malta
1-5
Scotland

Effiong (14')

FT(HT: 1-1)

Snodgrass (10', 60' pen., 84'), Martin (53'), Fletcher (78')

Chris Martin: 'I was surprised to start for Scotland'

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 05 September 2016

Striker Chris Martin admits that he was "surprised" to be given a starting role with Scotland after a slow start to the season in the Championship.

Striker Chris Martin has revealed that he was "surprised" to have been handed a starting role in Scotland's World Cup qualifier with Malta.

Martin had been expected to feature on the bench after failing to score for Derby County during the opening four weeks of the season, but he netted his third international goal as the Tartan Army eased to a 5-1 win.

The 27-year-old told Scotland's Youtube channel: "I was surprised. I found out in the morning. The gaffer named the team when we went out to training to work on a few set-pieces.

"But you have to get your head round it pretty quickly and it was nice to be included and good to repay a bit of faith with the goal. I think I had the easy job. Matt Ritchie has put in an unbelievable ball and it's very, very difficult to miss from that position.

"But all good strikers need to keep getting in there so I was delighted with that. I maybe could have had another one but all in all it was a very positive start to the campaign."

On the final day of the transfer window, Martin was loaned out to Fulham until the end of the season.