SCOTRAIL kept the Tartan Army off the tracks. Armenia never looked like derailing Scotland.
Whether they travelled by trains, planes or automobiles, the effort was ultimately worth it for those that ventured out to Hampden. Their rewards were two goals and three points as Steve Clarke’s side got their Nations League campaign off and running.
Scotland fans can never be criticised for their loyalty and their willingness to back their team. The situation created by ScotRail timetables and Scottish Government advice – which saw fans told to leave at half-time if they needed a return journey home – was farcical and laughable.
It left supporters inconvenienced, out of pocket and misunderstood. It may have had an impact on the attendance, but it had no bearing on the action as goals from Tony Ralston and Scott McKenna eased Scotland to a deserving victory. It was a case of three points and up the road.
A week ago, the Tartan Army had strolled along the road to Hampden with the sun beating down and a spring in their step. This time, they trudged as the rain poured.
The dark clouds that hung over Hampden pre-match were fitting of the mood. As the heavens opened, there was a sense that it never rained but it poured.
This was a very different occasion and a very different challenge to the showdown with Ukraine. Come the end of the night, the first small glistens of a silver lining had started to emerge.
It was only natural that there was a hangover from the World Cup exit, but this match, and the ones in Dublin and Yerevan to come, are significant in their own right. The Qatar dream is over and Clarke had done his best to shift the agenda ahead of Scotland’s return to action.
The Nations League remains a format that many still deride and some do not fully understand but it is of vital importance to Scotland. Indeed, those scenes of hope and despair that were witnessed here last summer would not have been possible without the competition that offers a much-needed second chance to sides such as ours.
This was a low-key way in which to begin the campaign. The calibre of the opposition was never going to be an exciting prospect for supporters, but Clarke’s side couldn’t underestimate an outfit who shocked the Republic of Ireland just days earlier.
On this evidence, it was hard to understand just how this lowly-ranked side could have achieved such a result. They were limited opposition that Scotland coped with easily and there should be little to fear for the return fixture next midweek.
If Scotland can head for home with nine points to their credit, or even seven as a result of a draw against Ireland, then Clarke can consider it a job well done from this Nations League hat-trick. After the agony of Ukraine, it would be a small step in the right direction.
When the Scottish FA put the match package tickets on sale for these fixtures, the country was riding a wave of pride and optimism. That must now be gathered and enhanced once again.
Around 35,000 tickets – no doubt boosted by those who had taken up the early option and booked their seats in advance – had been sold for this one. Those that turned up deserved credit as well as the victory that would have raised the spirits.
The Hampden roar was understandably muted. There was no buzz, no sense of excitement around the ground as the Tartan Army took their seats and those who were fortunate enough to be situated further back could take shelter from the inclement conditions.
It wasn’t exactly one of those ‘I was there’ occasions but it was one that ended satisfactorily for Clarke and his players. The points were the main prerogative, but there were positives in terms of the performance that can now be taken on to Ireland this weekend.
Ralston and McKenna were the only ones in the starting line-up who hadn’t scored for their country before kick-off. That statistic was rendered irrelevant by the break.
Ralston rightly savoured the moment as he took the acclaim from the crowd after a neat header beat David Yurchenko and gave Scotland the lead. It was the highlight of an accomplished performance from the right-back as he capped his first start for his country with a goal.
When McKenna nodded home the second, the crowd knew that was that in terms of the result. The celebrations were not exactly ecstatic, but they were in keeping with the feeling of the evening.
The applause for the first raft of changes with 15 minutes remaining was appreciative. It was one of the few noises around the ground in the second period.
It had become something of a non-event, more akin to a glorified friendly than a competitive fixture. The clock ticked away and it was only a matter of time before victory was confirmed.
When it was, Hampden quickly emptied. If any of the Tartan Army did indeed have to walk back to the city centre, they could do so with a smile at least.
