Armenia. In the Nations League. At a heartbroken Hampden. Only one week after the agony of missing out on a place at the World Cup. In the pouring rain.
If ever there was a stab-a-fork-in-my-eye moment for Steve Clarke and his players then this was surely it.
Three years to the day that it all began for the manager with a slender, unspectacular 2-1 win against Cyprus.
In retrospect, at least that sun was shining that night.
Here we were nonetheless, in the gloom of a Scottish summer, watching a game that felt more like a monumental test of patience than the start of a new beginning.
But that’s only because this game was already over by half-time, on the back of a spirited and reasonably upbeat display from a team which has every right to be out on its feet by now.
First-half headers from Anthony Ralston and Scott McKenna had put Clarke back in his happy place, after the angst of Ukraine, as Scotland’s recovery got off to a satisfactory start.
It could and should have been more, of course, against an Armenian side which is some way short of being mediocre.
Even so, it’s not often Clarke has seen his side win a match here with so much to spare.
The boss had hinted that changes might be kept to a minimum in the pursuit of all the three points. And yet he still managed to leave more than half of last week’s starting line-up on the bench.
Only five stalwarts – Craig Gordon, Andy Robertson, Callum McGregor, John McGinn and Che Adams – survived the cull, forming the spine of his team, while fresh faces were brought in to fill around the edges.
Ralston took over at right-back. John Souttar, Jack Hendry and McKenna made up a complete overhaul of the back three, with Ryan Christie and Stuart Armstrong tasked with supporting Adams in attack.
On the face of it, this was a team designed to get on to the front foot – with the hope of sparking life into Hampden. The old place felt a bit limp ahead of kick-off, as the clouds parted and dumped themselves all over Glasgow’s south side, painting it in a picture of misery. Clarke’s changes worked.
Armstrong almost crashed home the opener after only four minutes when he was picked out inside the box by Ralston, who had raced to get on the end of Robertson’s hanging cross.
The Southampton man timed his run to perfection but his volley cannoned off the base of a post and Armenia survived by a lick of paint.
Soon after keeper David Yurchenko pulled off a fine fingertip save to feather a rasping Robertson drive around his left post while realising that he was in for a long night. He had to hold on to a diving header from Hendry too as this onslaught continued with his defence coming apart at the seams.
It was encouraging enough to make the Tartan Army find its voice but what Clarke really needed after all this activity was a breakthrough moment.
McGinn tried twice to find it from distance without bothering the target.
But those, hopeful long range efforts were also indicative of panic seeping in, which seemed entirely unnecessary given that Armenia were so blatantly there for the taking.
But in 27 minutes the opener arrived and it was almost perfect in both its design and execution.
First Armstrong popped up on the left of the Armenian box and looked up to see Ralston on the move towards the back post.
Instantly, he picked the new boy out with a fizzing, diagonal which cleared the last defender by an inch before Ralston applied an immaculate finish with a cushioned header back across goal and in at Yurchenko’s right-hand post.
As soon as the ball nestled there it did feel like a question of how many more would follow. Christie ought to have fired home a quickfire second when he blazed over after being set-up by Adams just 12 yards out.
But it was only delayed until McKenna chose to bulldoze his way through to connect with McGinn’s corner and bullet a header home from close range.
With 41 minutes on the clock, Clarke had the luxury of looking forward to Saturday’s trip to Dublin even though McKenna – correctly – had another one chopped off by VAR in the dying seconds of the half after drifting a toenail offside.
TV replays also showed Armenian defender Arman Hovhannisyan launching a water bottle some 50 yards in the direction of the linesman’s head – apparently for not
flagging McKenna offside.
How VAR missed it was another matter entirely.
Clarke also opted not to act at the break even though this contest was done and dusted.
And Christie should have netted No.3 just shy of the hour when he got a diving header horribly wrong just six yards out.
The reinforcements finally arrived with 15 minutes to spare when Nathan Patterson, Aaron Hickey and Scott McTominay replaced Ralston, Robertson and Armstrong.
But this match was already dead on its feet by then. And Scotland’s much needed win was in the bag.
McGinn almost smashed home late on but his shot cracked off the crossbar before Clarke sent on Ross Stewart and Jacob Brown for the closing moments.
Adams trudged off wondering how on earth he had not managed to get his own name on the scoresheet against such limited opponents.
And yet, at the same time, having done enough to lead the line again this Saturday in Dublin – when his shooting boots will be required.
