How Scott McKenna channelled famous legendary relation Alan Gilzean as Scotland are revived in Hampden rain

A win over opponents ranked 92 in the world in Group B1 of the Nations League might not set the pulse racing.

But it got Steve Clarke’s side back in the groove ahead of a more testing trip to Dublin this weekend and provided some form of succour following World Cup heartbreak at the hands of Ukraine.

The reviving Hampden rain proved just the tonic following last week’s sunlit trauma. Scotland wiped the slate clean against an international side they were meeting for the very first time. The phrase that springs to mind is, can we play you every week?

Two first-time scorers underlined this sense of a new beginning on the third anniversary of Clarke’s first match in charge.

Anthony Ralston got things under way with a fine header on his first start for his country. Scott McKenna then built his annex on a grand tradition of family members scoring towering headers for Scotland. The centre-back’s maternal grandfather was a cousin of one Alan Gilzean, who scored a famous flying headed winner against England at this very stadium in 1964. That goal from Coupar Angus' finest son came from a corner, too.

McKenna’s strike was not quite as spectacular but it was certainly noteworthy as he opened his account for his nation four years after leading Scotland out in a friendly at the Azteca stadium. The 25-year-old from Kirriemuir has since endured injury and transfer uncertainty at Aberdeen before establishing himself south of the Border at Nottingham Forest, who he has just helped back into the Premier League after an exile lasting 23 years.

Many were surprised the in-form centre-half was left out of Clarke’s team against Ukraine. McKenna demonstrated how effective he can be at both ends by getting his head to John McGinn’s corner to put