SCOTLAND Under-21 boss Billy Stark today admitted his side's failure to qualify for the Uefa Under-21 Championships in Sweden next year had been a cruel blow.

The young Scots went down to Denmark after Nicklas Pedersen's 28th minute strike in Aalborg proved decisive for the Danes.

Stark's kids finished above their opponents by virtue of a +2 goal difference with both placed on 16 points behind Group Six leaders Finland.

But the Danes qualified by virtue of their superior head to head record having drawn 0-0 at East End Park last September.

And Stark admitted: "This was as cruel a way to fail at the last as could be. I felt we did more than enough to win the game but just didn't get the breaks in front of goal.

"By contrast, they broke up the park from our corner to get their goal and that just about summed up how the breaks fell. It may be ironic but despite the fact we have failed to make it through to Sweden, I feel it has been a good campaign and especially so the way the boys have come from behind to almost make it through in Group Six."

Stark continued: "The Danes used the width of the pitch well for the remainder of the game.

"We did get a couple of chances after the break but it did get very tense and anxiety started to build as the Danes threw themselves into it with a couple of good shots.

"I do feel that we did enough to get the goal. But with Denmark defending deep, we had to get a break with the ball bouncing the right way and it never came."

The young Scots came closest through a Ross McCormack strike that was deflected wide with Danish keeper Casper Schmeichel exposed, but with the Danes going in front soon after, Stark's kids were left to chase the game.

However, late on, Schmeichel was again required to save his countrymen with a fine stop from a stinging drive from Partick Thistle's loan Ranger Stevie Lennon.

Then, almost at the death, West Bromwich Albion's Graham Dorrans burst through only for Schmeichel to again prove up to the task with a fine block.

But Stark is optimistic about his colts' future and believes he still has the nucleus of a side who can make an impact in their next campaign.

He said: "In lads like Stevie Lennon, Paul Caddis, Scott Arfield and Lewis Stevenson, we still have a core of the current squad who will be available to us when the next campaign starts and that continuity is a massive plus.

"I feel that ultimately there has been such a fine line between success and failure, that the lads who have been through this campaign will have a big role in making these experiences count in our favour next time around.

"On the other hand, I feel for the other lads who will not be eligible after last night and who have come so close to appearing at a major finals and probably deserved to do so, but for a slice of luck in front of goal not going our way.

"Unfortunately that is international football and it will have been a painful lesson for the lads to learn and one they maybe did not deserve."

Distraught Dundee United defender Garry Kenneth blamed himself for the loss of the killer goal, but remained optimistic about the squad's promise for the future.

"It is all ifs and buts," he said. "This team definitely has a tremendous amount of talent. But when you don't take your chances then you don't progress."

"The goal was all down to me not doing my job properly," he said. "Even though the counter attack came very quickly I don't see any other place to point the finger. I should have prevented that one."