As the weather provided the perfect backdrop to a night that could only be described as dreich, Scotland did their best to serve up a performance to at least brighten the horizon a little with a comfortable 2-0 win over Albania.

If last night’s autumnal conditions confirmed that the long dark nights of winter lie ahead, Scotland took a step towards a journey they hope will offer an emergence from the long hibernation that has kept them away from a major international tournament for the last 20 years. An own-goal and a Steven Naismith header consolidate a much needed win for Alex McLeish in a game that Scotland dominated.

The inception of the UEFA Nations League tournament is not the most glamorous of competitions, a fact reflected in an apathetic crowd. And yet it is a way to open the back door to qualification, something that Scotland cannot afford to turn their nose up at. Should McLeish’s side fail in their endeavours to secure a place at the 2020 European Championships there could be a safety net if they triumph in this group.

The four group winners from each league qualify for a play-off, set to be played in March 2020, with the winner of each play-off securing a qualification berth. The early signs of McLeish’s reign have not augured well. Of the six games that he had taken charge of before last night’s win, he had claimed victory in just one of them - a win over Hungary in Budapest - so there was not too much of a surprise that the gloom of the evening seeped its way into a sparse Hampden crowd.

If the lacklustre reception given to the Nations League was expected the same could not be said for McLeish’s starting XI. There was no Leigh Griffiths - it would be the final 20 minutes of the game before the Celtic striker was introduced to the fray - while James Forrest, arguably in the form of his life for Celtic last term, also spent the bulk of his evening warming up at the side of the pitch.

They made way for Johnny Russell and Naismith, the latter of whom redeemed himself in the second period with his goals which sealed the win. If there was relief - and vindication - for McLeish when the goals finally came after an opening period in which Scotland huffed and puffed but could not blow Albania’s defence down, there was relief too for Naismith. The Hearts forward had been the villain of the piece in the first half after cracking the post with a header from just yards out and before then struggling to shift his feet as Kieran Tierney delivered a ball at pace into the six yard box.

Having taken the game by the scruff of the neck in the early stages, it seemed bewildering when the teams headed into the interval with the game still level given the volume of chances and half chances Scotland had created.

Naismith had had the ball in the back of the net only to be denied because of an off-side flag. And for all their dominance, there was a sense of anxiety as the game edged towards the interval. John McGinn was guilty of conceding possession deep inside his own half to Ledian Memushaj.

Memushaj, however, could not exploit the mistake to full effect as he dragged his effort well wide of the post.

McLeish introduced Stuart Armstrong after the interval at the expense of Kevin McDonald and within minutes of the restart Scotland were breathing a little easier as the goal they had threatened with their first-half play finally materialised.

Armstrong was the architect of the move, slipping the ball out to Robertson before Naismith rose with Berat Xhimshiti at the back post with the Albanian defender appearing to get the last touch on the ball.

If there was a degree of fortune about the strike – Naismith also seemed to be offside as he made the run – it at least allowed Hampden to relax somewhat.

And yet the good work was almost undone immediately. McGinn again was the culprit as he gifted possession with Allan McGregor forced to hare it off his line to deflect the danger.

Having been a virtual spectator for much of the opening period, McGregor was called into action sharply again when he had to react to deflect a decent effort from striker Bekim Balaj as Albania threatened to rain on Scotland’s parade. A second from Naismith, though, settled the affair. McGinn’s corner was headed away by Frederic Veseli but as Naismith peeled off and the Albanian goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha was caught in no-man’s land, the striker was able to loop a header into the empty net.

Shortly after it could and should have been three. Russell started the move as Scotland combined to open up Albania’s defence but Callum McGregor’s effort was blocked as it headed over the bar.

Griffiths arrived for the final stages of the game and tried his luck with a free-kick that offered little genuine menace. The striker, though, was irked that as keeper Strakosha came out to collect his effort which had clipped the top of the wall that he appeared to have conceded a corner in the process which was not given. In any case, Scotland will take the win. After a sobering Friday evening against the might of Belgium the comfortable work against a chaotic Albanian side offered some kind of respite from the ill winds that have surrounded the national team of late.