TEENAGE Motherwell forward Darren Smith hopes his winner at Falkirk repaid manager Maurice Malpas for handing him regular first-team football after six months of injury agony.

The 18-year-old was given a Scotland U-21 last Tuesday and capped a perfect week by scoring the winner against the Bairns.

Smith - who only returned to action in December after serious knee cartilage damage - said: "It's been a great week. It was good to get the cap and it was topped with coming on and getting the winner.

"The gaffer has given me a chance and hopefully I've paid him back by getting goals."