SCOTLAND'S Euro 2017 qualifying bid remains firmly on track after they regained top spot in Group 1 from Iceland. Needing to win by a three-goal margin in Skopje, they did so with admittedly less room to spare than should have been the case in a totally one-sided game.

Macedonia, without a win in over four years, looked predictably shorn of belief as Scotland raced into a four-goal lead after just 31 minutes but a goal in just about their only attack of the game gave their self-esteem a lift and they defended much better in the second half.

Even so, Scotland coach Anna Signeul and her players were frank in their appraisal that an opportunity to gain more ground on the Icelanders had been lost. They lost a lot of momentum after the interval and from being one of the busiest players on the park, Macedonian goalkeeper Viktorija Doneva finally got some respite.

Even so, the Scottish players were adamant that she had dropped a corner over her own line, but Russian referee Anastasia Pustovoitova ruled otherwise.

Scotland midfielder Rachel Corsie, who scored the second and third goals, said: "It's a difficult place to come to. They had so many players behind the ball and that made it difficult to get through them.

"Once we knew that the game was sealed, the three points was the most important thing. It's going to be tight with Iceland all the way through the group I expect.

"Top is where we want to be after three games, and us and Iceland have played the same teams. That makes it a fair reflection that we are on top.

"The Macedonia goal was really disappointing. It was a switch off in concentration and we need to do better there. It's something we need to work on.

"I was pretty close to it when their keeper dropped the corner and it looked to me as if the whole of the ball was over the line."

Although incessant pressure in the opening 20 minutes failed to bring a goal, Scotland got a spate of them once Kim Little broke the deadlock. The Melbourne City-bound No.10 scored a hat-trick in Slovenia last month and she made it four-in-a-row after being put in by Jane Ross.

The classy No.10 then crossed for her Seattle Reign team-mate Corsie to double the lead four minutes later. The same player quickly added the third, this time with a shot from outside the box.

Caroline Weir made it four in nine minutes with another shot, this time a low one from just inside the penalty area, yet almost unbelievably the home side, who had barely been in the Scotland half, pulled one back just before the interval.

It came courtesy of their one really good player – captain Natasa Andonova who plays for Swedish Champions League side Rosengard. The attacking midfielder did really well to win the ball and dispatch an inviting through ball for Gentjana Rochi to run on to and slip the ball past Gemma Fay.

Macedonia (5-4-1): Doneva; Naumoff, Angelovska, S Andonova, Kostova, Bojku; Jakovska (Markovska 85), Mileska (Ristovska 90+3), N Andonova, Chubrinovska (Saliihi 59); Rochi

Scotland (4-2-3-1): Fay; Brown, McSorley, Beattie, Lauder; Corsie, Weir (Smith 74); L Ross (Arnot 65), Little, Love (Crichton 86); J Ross

Referee: A Pustovoitova (Rus)