STEVEN FLETCHER has urged Gordon Strachan not to walk away from the job he has started with Scotland.

The dream of making it to the European Championships in France died a painful death Hampden last night after a sickening last minute goal from Robert Lewandowski denied Scotland the win that would have kept them in contention for a play-off spot going into the final game against Gibraltar on Sunday.

The 2-2 draw, coupled with Ireland's shock win over world champions Germany in Dublin, has left Scotland with down and out.

Inevitably there will be questions now asked about the future of Strachan but Fletcher believes he has to remain in the post.

“It’s up to the manager, it’s his decision and for those upstairs as well," said the striker.

“Whatever decision he comes to is up to him, but he brought me back into the fold and I’ll always be grateful to him for doing that.

“The manager is just taking us forward and forward.

‘You can see that with the type of performance we had against Poland, especially.

“He has been a tremendous supporter of me and he has stuck by me through the times. Even when I was not scoring goals down the road in England, he would bring me up and I try to give my best performances for him.

“I managed to get a goal for him here, so it was good. But the gaffer was so disappointed like the rest of us, even more so.

‘It’s a big squad and a young squad who want to get to a big tournament.

“Hopefully in years to come we can do that with a great manager behind us.

“He has prepared us all week and done everything right until a goal comes in injury-time."

And Fletcher has admitted that the manner of the defeat after having come back into a game they looked dead and buried in during a frantic half hour spell is the most galling thing of all.

Lewandowski's third minute opener had been cancelled out with a goal from Matt Ritchie before Fletcher netted an impressive second but the celebrations were short-lived.

“The boys are really disappointed because we thought that we played well," he said.

“We produced a performance and managed to take the lead, but we didn’t get the win and it has ended the way it did.

“It is just so disappointing when you put in a display like we did, you hope you get something.

“You get to the last minute and I don’t know if it was a good cross from their boy or not.

“It certainly didn’t look like one.

“But the ball went into the net and it was sore."

Sunday's game is meaningless but Fletcher has maintained that it will be a professional approach from Scotland as they finish the campaign off against Gibraltar.

“We need to go over to Gibraltar, do our jobs and get a win," he insisted.

“This squad has always shown character.

“When people have put us down, we have always come back and shown what we have got.

“We will be fired-up because this is our last qualifier and we’ll always go out and give 100 per cent in any match.

“Sunday is no different. We’ll go for a win.

“It doesn’t matter what game it is. We want to go out and get a victory.”