Scotland’s hopes of qualifying for Euro 2012 were left hanging by a thread after Michal Kadlec scored a controversial last-minute penalty to give the Czech Republic a 2-2 draw at Hampden Park yesterday.

Craig Levein’s side, hunting a place in the qualification play-offs, needed a victory to close the gap on the Czechs in the race to finish second behind runaway group leaders Spain.

They were in control when Darren Fletcher set up Kenny Miller to open the scoring a minute before the break.

But the Czechs laid siege to the Scotland goal in the second-half and got the goal their pressure deserved when Jaroslav Pasil headed home a 78th-minute equaliser.

A Jan Rajnoch mistake allowed Miller to cross for Fletcher to put Scotland ahead again in the 83rd minute.

However, there was heartbreak for the Scots when Dutch referee Kevin Blom pointed to the spot in the 90th minute after substitute Jan Rezek went down even though replays showed Danny Wilson made no contact with his challenge.

Kadlec expertly converted the resulting penalty which leaves Scotland, who have played a game less, five points behind the Czechs in second place.

Scotland manager Craig Levein claimed Dutch referee Kevin Blom was “conned” and also claimed Christophe Berra should have been awarded a penalty even later in the game but instead Blom booked him for diving.

“The referee was conned for the first penalty and Christophe was clipped for our one,” Levein said on Sky Sports 2.

“It’s cost us today. It’s easy to blame the referee but when you get two decisions like that you feel aggrieved.”