The collective – footballing – trauma felt across the country over the previous Wednesday’s World Cup elimination against Ukraine had led to some sore heads from bumping against the ceiling of Scotland’s footballing ambitions newly-perceived under Steve Clarke. Yet, however much of a dunt was the aberrant display in the 3-1 play-off loss, the rush to push fears that it was right back to square one in the quest for Scotland to be regular participants in major finals, frankly, seemed borne of a melodramatic bent in our national character.

A cakewalk of a 2-0 win against a profoundly-limited Armenia may not make what happened at the same ground the week before any more digestible. But there were enough sufficiently-pleasing morsels in the victory with which Clarke’s men opened up another Nation League campaign to be reminded that Scotland can still be coming down a road to consistent better times despite the crushing setback that preceded the success. Teams as limited as FIFA’s 92nd ranked country – by heavens, there must be some outrageous duffers when you drill further down to the three-figures nations – in the past have been capable of frustrating Scotland. Liechtenstein, Moldova, Lithuania, anyone?

It may have taken until midway through the first period for Anthony Ralston to open his international goal account, as well as set his team on the path to three points. The peppering of the visitors’ goal by Scotland shaken-up and in the mood to shake down Armenia from the early moments meant there was never a doubt about the final outcome. It was all merely a case of how many even from the very opening exchanges. Indeed, a solitary further goal was scant reflection of the dominance of the men in dark blue.

Scotland fans turned out to support their team against Armenia.

Other sidelines were sooting to the battered Scottish soul. The foulness of the night, the fecklessness of the visitors and the fretting over transport issues meant the encounter was one that could easily have been given a miss by large swathes of the Tartan Army. It wasn’t. Now, the smart SFA marketing – not a phrase often employed – that meant the Armenian hosting was sold as part of a package with the World Cup play-off semi-final might have played a significant part in the exceedingly-healthy attendance of 38,627. It can’t entirely explain the draw of a national team that not so very long ago consistently were faced with a half empty Hampden at home games. Over a two-year stretch.

And neither can anything other than Scotland’s capacity to engage – as they have across 11 months in which they have now posted seven wins and two draws from 10 outings – account for the notable change in ambience across a fizzing opening spell. At the first whistle there was a general hubbub audible across the stands. Fans were patently rhubarbing among themselves … as opposed to their eyes being on stocks at what was unfolding on the pitch in front of them. As Scotland then began to fashion chance after chance, though, their supporters came onside, stopped chatting and started to roar and whoop at what was being served up in front of them. A small win for Clarke. And it could only be that sort of night in every possible respect. But satisfying enough when considering the alternative.

Scotland can cherish the small wins - especially when the alternatives are considered