Scotland's youngsters proved tonight's B international was not a total waste of time by knocking on the door of Walter Smith with their first Future Cup win at Rugby Park.

The national manager claimed some of the players could use this game as a stepping stone to the senior squad - just like Hearts midfielder Paul Hartley had done.

And an up-and-coming side responded with goals from Gary McDonald and substitute Lee Miller in each half to warm the 3,092 Kilmarnock crowd on a bitterly cold night.

The fans were hoping for big things from in-form Kilmarnock striker Kris Boyd, who has scored 15 goals this season - and, although he did not score, he impressed with his display.

The Polish players had more to play for with World Cup places up for grabs and they tested Celtic goalkeeper David Marshall early on.

Pawel Brozek let fly with a firm right-foot shot from 25 yards which the youngster saved comfortably.

Sheffield United midfielder Nick Montgomery was one of those tipped for big things and he also caught the eye of Smith.

He brought Lukasz Fabianski into action in the 13th minute when he burst away from his man and sent a powerful low left-foot shot towards the bottom corner but the Poland goalkeeper threw himself to his right to push it around the post.

But Celtic's summer signing Adam Virgo almost embarrassed himself by putting the ball into his own net in the 18th minute.

Ireneusz Jelen whipped the ball across goal but the former Brighton player fired it against the post when he should have steered it wide.

Marshall then rescued his side in the 23rd minute when Marcin Kus picked out Pawel Magdon in the area - but the goalkeeper did well to save his header.

Wigan's Gary Teale was also looking to catch the eye but he blazed a left-foot effort high over the bar in the 28th minute.

McDonald almost scored in front of his own fans in the 36th minute when he controlled the ball and struck a goalbound right-foot shot which Fabianski had to tip around the post.

But the Kilmarnock player did get on the scoresheet from the resulting corner, heading home from close range after Teale's corner skimmed off the head of a Polish player.

Brozec should have brought the scores level moments later but he launched his right-foot shot into the empty seating behind the goal.

Both managers made three changes at the break with Smith bringing on Kilmarnock keeper Alan Combe, Lee Miller and Jamie McAllister for Marshall, Darryl Duffy and McDonald.

And it took just two minutes for Scotland to double their lead when Boyd dummied Teale's cross and Miller steered the ball past Fabianski from eight yards.

Scotland appealed unsuccessfully for a penalty on the hour when Boyd headed Montgomery's ball back across goal and it seemed to strike Magdon on the hand.

The Kilmarnock striker got better as the game went on and looked like scoring in the 62nd minute when Garry Hay picked him out, only for his header to hit Magdon on the back.

Smith brought on Ross Wallace and Mark Kerr on for Hay and Robson moments later and then Christophe Berra for Virgo.

Boyd failed to deliver the goal the fans craved by blasting a right-foot shot into the sidenetting from 17 yards late on - but the Scots had done enough to impress Smith

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Scotland Future: Marshall, Neilson, Hay, Montgomery, Greer, Virgo, Teale, McDonald, Boyd, Duffy, Robson. Subs: Combe, Berra, Wallace, Kerr, Miller, McAllister.

Poland Future: Fabianski, Kusto, Magdon, Dudka, Bieniuk, Blaszczykowski, Brozek, Jelen, Iwanski, Scherfchen, Grzelak. Subs: Przyrowski, Klos, Burkhardt, Kaczmarek, Bonin, Piechna.

Ref: D McKeown (Republic of Ireland)