Quincy Promes boosted his chances of making Louis van Gaal's squad for the World Cup after his stunning first-half hat-trick helped Netherlands U21s to a 6-1 victory over Scotland at St Mirren Park.

Scotland began brightly with Ryan Fraser playing a through ball to Stuart Armstrong but the Dundee United midfielder flicked the ball just wide of Warner Hahn's far post

Luc Castaignos had a good opportunity to open the scoring for the Dutch in the 20th minute but he blasted Mike te Weirek's cutback over the crossbar.

Callum McGregor should have broken the deadlock five minutes later when Fraser floated a cross into the box for the Celtic man who rose unchallenged but flashed his header wide.

And they were made to pay for the missed chance in the 26th minute by pacey FC Twente winger Promes.

The 22-year-old cut in from the right and twice dragged the ball with his studs past three Scottish players before thundering home left-footed from the edge of the area.

Scotland almost grabbed an instant equaliser when Jean-Paul Boetius was caught in possession by John McGinn who hit a powerful shot which beat Hahn but could not beat the post.

But they fell further behind in the 40th minute after Manchester City's Karim Rekik played a searching left to right ball for the ever-dangerous Promes.

The winger shuffled the ball between his left and right foot to leave two Scotland defenders trailing in his wake before smashing the ball past Jordan Archer off the underside of the crossbar.

Two minutes later, Promes latched onto a through-ball from Chelsea's Marco van Ginkel before drilling home right-footed in emphatic fashion.

A minute after the restart Promes almost turned provider when he layed the ball off to Boetius who hit a curled effort ball inches over the bar.

But Promes was instrumental in Holland's fifth after 50 minutes. His corner found the head of van Ginkel whose effort was cleared off the line but Rekik followed up to rifle the home.

They should have made it five on the hour-mark when Castaignos retrieved Tony Vilhena's corner but he curled his effort past Archer's far post.

Vilhena was replaced by Ziyech in the 75th minute and the midfielder scored within 60 seconds of coming with a right-footed volley from 25 yards.

Ziyech got his second in the 79th minute when another substitute Ola John crossed from the byline for the Heerenveen man to guide his volley in with his left foot.

But Billy Stark's side managed an 85th minute consolation when St Johnstone's Stevie May latched on to a mislaid pass from Sven Beek to score from the edge of the area.