THE only fault with this Scotland win is the date.

What would Gordon Strachan give for a repeat of this outcome when the Scots are back in Poland in October, for a fixture loaded with far more significance than this one?

A tight, nothing-between-them friendly was won by Scott Brown's late drive. It was another of those nights which did nothing to dampen the escalating anticipation about the sort of Euro 2016 qualifying campaign Scotland may start to build later this year.

Winning in Warsaw was a joy. Doing so on October 14, in Scotland's third tie in Group D of the Euros, could be a cornerstone in a big push to qualify.

The Dark Blues were not outstanding but they worked hard and were methodical, tidy and organised. After a drab first half they grew into the game and delivered a fifth straight game without defeat.

Not only is Strachan making them hard to break down, he is digging out very satisfying wins. This was the fourth away victory since he took over.

There was pleasure, too, in seeing Darren Fletcher return as a substitute after 16 months out, and in teenager Andrew Robertson coming on for his debut. Brown gave a typically robust performance, and produced a winner for the second Scotland game running.

Poland won't be despondent, as they expect Borussia Dortmund's Robert Lewandowski and Jakub Blaszczykowski to be available when the Euro 2016 ties begin. Neither was available last night.

The Narodowy Stadium is just two years old and with the roof closed the sound simply boomed around the place, with the sizeable Polish support drowning out the 2000-strong Tartan Army.

What an atmosphere this place will generate when it's full for Scotland's return, not to mention when Group D favourites Germany show up four days earlier.

Strachan was at pains to stress not too much significance should be attached to the names in the starting side, and those on the bench.

Steven Naismith was a surprise omission at kick-off, all the same, and he offered more in the second half than Steven Fletcher had in the first. David Marshall was preferred to Allan McGregor in goal.

Scotland had never before played 4-4-2 under Strachan but that was the shape in Warsaw, albeit with Ross McCormack - starting for the first time in almost three years - operating slightly behind Fletcher. Ikechi Anya and Barry Bannan were the wee wide men, bookending Scott Brown and James Morrison.

The opening 45 minutes were a bore. Scotland started comfortably, getting into a reasonable rhythm of passes, but they didn't come to anything and as the half wore on the Poles enjoyed more possession and territory.

But they struggled to create anything or get in behind the Scotland back four.

Mateusz Klich curled a shot which was going in under the crossbar until Marshall flung up a hand to touch it over for a corner. Arkadiusz Milik - the Augsburg forward deputising for Lewandoski - had a shot which bounced in front of Marshall and forced him to parry the ball away for a corner.

Scotland's moves petered out. There was plenty of movement and appetite for the ball but no penetration, no quality passes or creativity.

The first half was in stoppage time before there was at last a threat on the Polish goal. Brown intercepted a ball as the home team tried to play out from the back and Alan Hutton raced through. He had blue shirts screaming for the ball in the six-yard box but blasted a low shot which Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szcesny blocked for a corner.

The Polish crowd was frequently encouraged by a stadium announcer who lacked the courtesy to keep his mouth shut while the play was ongoing. They were animated, too, when the stadium's giant screens showed Brown's reaction after he clashed heads with Slawomir Peszko.

The pair of them were booked, as much for stupidity as malice. Hutton was yellow-carded for a cynical scything down of Peszko, conceding a free-kick from which Kamil Glik should have buried a header but sent it wide.

SCOTLAND had a chance when Bannan, Naismith and Anya made an opening for McCormack but his low shot was poorly executed and was blocked.

Robertson made his Scotland debut 23 minutes from time, his introduction at left-back allowing Charlie Mulgrew to move into midfield while Phil Bardsley replaced Hutton at right-back.

In Scotland's last match they won a friendly in Norway when Brown scored the game's only goal in the second half.

He did it all again. Just 13 minutes from time an Anya cross was headed towards goal by substitute Charlie Adam. A defender made an unconvincing clearance which fell to Brown, and he fairly rattled a shot which flew past Szczesny.

Poland pressed but they had no answer to it. At full-time their great ground reverberated to jeers and boos. They were music to Scottish ears.