IS MAGIC NUMBER
Dykes keeps unbeaten run going to offer hope
STEVE CLARKE is building some momentum. You can say the same about Lyndon Dykes.
It’s going to take time and it’s going to need patience. It also needs to be effective before people worry about it being pretty but this solid success with a splendid second-half was another positive step forward.
It’s now seven games and over a calendar year since Clarke’s men tasted defeat.
At the same time he has unearthed a striker who now has two goals in four games. Dykes is growing impressively into his important role.
Defensively, Clarke has also engineered two successive clean sheets for the first time in over three years. The likes of Declan Gallagher and Scott
McTominay are growing into their roles just like Dykes.
For all the criticism of the performance in the vital Israel win in the previous outing, this was more progressive.
Dykes hit the net, other chances were created and the all-important solidity at the back maintained as the team stayed top of their Nations League group.
Andy Robertson’s needless yellow card and subsequent suspension from Wednesday’s game against Czech Republic was about the only real setback as this was a good show – building towards the play-off final against Serbia next month while doing the business in the section was the job in hand and it was completed successfully.
Clarke is finding a way. Rolling teams is not an option for Scotland. So he first has to find a way not be rolled. Just four goals lost in the seven game run is significant.
At the other end Dykes is proving his talents, sniffing goals and linking the game, while Ryan Fraser was excellent throughout to provide threat.
With Ryan Christie, James Forrest and possibly even Leigh Griffiths back for the Belgrade showdown, there are signals of hope. Right now, though, it’s baby steps forward at a time. And last night was another one neatly negotiated.
Slovakia arrived in Glasgow unable to find a goal at home in their play-off semi-final four days previously, yet into the final courtesy of a penalty shoot-out. Ireland were their victims but only two men, defender Martin Valjent and skipper Marek Hamsik, kept their starting slots.
The Scots forced a trio of set-plays early during a brightenough beginning with the manager having freshened it up. Kenny McLean and John Fleck took central roles with Callum McGregor and Ryan Jack rested, while Fraser got the job of supporting Dykes in a
different style to the benched Oli McBurnie.
That opening period slowly built towards a positive ending to the half – it was 10 minutes before half-time before an effort of note occurred.
In fairness it was just as quiet down the other end by that point. The back-five formation stayed the same again.
Andrew Considine became Scotland’s oldest debutant in over 50 years as he took over from Liam Cooper at the back but it was as you were elsewhere.
Gallagher did superbly to get up and flick away a dangerous inswinging Hamsik free-kick, the type of defending from a dead-ball delivery that had proved so troublesome in the early stages of the Clarke reign. Following that first Scots effort came a Stephen O’Donnell swipe that he sliced off target after Fraser hit the left byeline and delivered a centre that was only half cleared, and there were some more glimpses before the break.
The Newcastle winger had a free-kick charged down by the wall before Dykes thought he had a clear sight of the target when he raced through before being denied by a vital late tackle.
From the resultant corner Gallagher was again up highest in the air. He had a goal to try to hit this time, however, and was unable to as his glancing header drifted wide.
But as unconvincing Italian referee David Davide Massa ignored Dykes’ accidental click of defender Jan Gregus’ ankle and subsequent penalty shouts, the scores were blank at the resumption.
Scotland picked up where they left off and deservedly got their winner nine minutes into the second period.
The lively Fraser burrowed again into a channel and picked a pass inside to the underlapping O’Donnell who clipped a clever first-time cross into the danger area.
Dykes had kept himself just onside and the volleyed finish was neat and tidy. It was a striker’s goal. Bang in front of the target. Just what Clarke wants to match the link play.
David Marshall made one alert stop soon after the Dykes strike but Clarke’s team were more likely to double their advantage as opposed to losing it before the end.
The Aussie-born attacker should really have done just that with 20 minutes to go.
Again it was a pinpoint O’Donnell centre from the right but the hitman didn’t get his connection correct.
Robertson’s booking was an unnecessary disappointment, but the home side kept pushing and sub McBurnie hit the woodwork with 11 minutes to go after more good Fraser work.
That would have been ideal for him on a personal note but it was all about the team. And they got it done.