LYNDON Dykes, the Australia-born striker who scored Livingston’s second goal in their 2-0 win over Celtic on Sunday, has admitted he would be open to an approach from Scotland in future.

Dykes was born and brought up in Canberra and the Gold Coast and represented his homeland at schoolboy level, but both of his parents originally hail from the Dumfries area and he is eligible to play for this country.

The 6ft 2in 24-year-old has netted four goals in his last six games for the Tony Macaroni Arena club and his manager Gary Holt, who won 10 caps for the national team during his own playing days, believes that Steve Clarke should hand him a call-up.

Clarke is short of goalscorers and has named Lawrence Shankland in his squad for the Euro 2020 qualifiers against Russia and San Marino this week even though the centre forward plays for Dundee United in the second tier Ladbrokes Championship.

Dykes, who played for Queen of the South in the last three seasons, admitted his preference would be to turn out for the Socceroos, but stressed he would seriously consider pledging his allegiances to Scotland.

Asked who he would like to play for, Dykes said: “I’m not sure. I grew up in Australia so probably Australia if both of them came. But it’s hard. If Scotland came and Australia didn’t come then obviously I would like to play for Scotland.

“I haven’t had any approach from any international side. I haven’t played anything in the past. I played schoolboys for Australia. But I didn’t go through the ranks at national level.

“My parents are Scottish. They are from Dumfries. My dad is from just outside Dumfries, a small town called Moniaive. I have got all my family in Scotland. I have got Scottish blood. I would have to see if I ever got the opportunity.”

Dykes, who played for Surfers Paradise Apollo before moving over to Scotland back in 2016, was pleased to see Shankland get called up and predicted he would be able to cope with the step up to international football if he also got a chance.

“I think he (Shankland) deserved it to be honest,” said Dykes. “Congrats to him. His goalscoring is unbelievable. I hope he does well for them. Scotland are looking for players and they looked at him so hopefully he does well. I think the system here is good. If you are good enough you will get there.”

Asked if he thought he could deal with playing for the national team, Dykes said: “I think so. It helps me that growing up I wasn’t a big football supporter. When kids who have supported big teams they are all nervous when they play against them. I just go into any game in any league in any division with the same mindset – I just want to score some goals and do my best for the team.”

Dykes was a a late convert to football, but his rise to prominence at Queen of the South and Livingston has been sudden. “I was rugby league when I was younger,” he said. “I started football when I was around 12 or 13.

“I just put it (his progress since then) down to hard work, to putting my head down. Hopefully I can prove to people that I am good enough to make the step up and put my name on the radar.”

Dykes certainly gave Christopher Jullien, Celtic’s £7 million centre half, a torrid afternoon in West Lothian on Sunday and converted his second-half chance, after a long ball upfield from Livingston’s goalkeeper Matija Sarkic, beautifully.

“Matty and I made a little gesture down the line,” he said. “It bounced nicely for me. I saw Fraser (Forster) off his line and I thought: ‘I am going to try and chip him here’. Luckily, I hit it high enough to get over him. I was happy.

“We (Jullien and Dykes) were going at it a bit. I don’t know how he didn’t get a yellow card against me. It is one of those things. He is a great player. I look forward to playing him again.

“I just do what I can do for the team. I just do my best every game. If I get the better of him then I get the better of him. I thought it was a good battle to be fair. That’s what I like. I’m just happy we got the three points. The boys deserved it.”