Scotland were timid and most World Cup teams would have beaten us - but one jewel sparkled above rest

There is much to be positive about, but and yes there is a big but... Scotland were miles away from their best. In fact, they were second best against a team way below us in the international pecking order. Haiti held the ball better than we did, particularly in midfield, and Scotland’s big name players were well below their usual high standards.

Not being able to keep possession at the top level is usually fatal. Fortunately, Scotland though close to life support, pulled through in the end, but only just.

Never have the abilities of Billy Gilmour been more obviously missed. The lack of control in the engine room can’t be allowed to happen again and almost any other team at this tournament would have effortlessly taken advantage of Scotland.

In the end, what would you rather have, a fabulous exciting Braveheart football spectacle that ended in the usual glorious failure, or a lucky and, yes, hard-working win? On this occasion I’ll take the latter - as will every Tartan Army foot soldier.

Maybe had Scotland nicked the second goal then it would have been easier and more pleasing on the eye, but I couldn’t argue they really deserved that cushion at any point in the game.

Accepting that many players were way below par and not ignoring the problems for a moment, there were still some notable bright spots. Being at the game, it was clear that Che Adams worked incredibly hard off the ball and had a huge part in the goal. It might have looked limited on the TV, but he could walk off with his head held high.

The two centre-backs were central in delivering the clean sheet that was needed. There were many good defensive headers, superb defensive positional play and one particular last-gasp tackle by Grant Hanley was a goal-saver, and because of that a game-saver and a competition-saver too.

One jewel sparkled above the rest

Then, of course, there was the one jewel that sparkled above the rest. Ben Gannon-Doak frightened the life out of the Haitians time after time in the first half particularly. This was back to the player who burst onto the scene originally, with his strength, pace and skill all improving again. Also a little word for Findlay Curtis, whose late cameo appearance showed that he is perfectly capable at this level, someone else to do that line-breaking job when Gannon-Doak isn’t there.

In football, they always say that you should never look back and always look forward. Well, that is handy because other than the result and the fun of the fans who were here inside the stadium, there isn’t a lot I would enjoy looking back on.

Even the fans were strangely subdued for large parts of the match after that wonderfully raucous start. They had managed to get all the way over here and into the stadium in incredible numbers, but even their performance was hugely affected by the tension, the stress and - yes - even the nervousness.

Before the game I hoped the performance would show fearlessness, a willingness to get on the ball and show how good we can be. In his pre-match interview, head coach Steve Clarke reiterated that he wanted no fear, but sadly it looked like at best a timid performance from a group capable of much better.

There is one other consideration that sounds counterintuitive, specifically when you look at the group table with Scotland proudly above not only Haiti, but Morocco and even the mighty Brazil. That draw was, however, the result we didn’t need. Had Brazil won, and then beaten Haiti, they would be already through. Manager Carlo Ancelotti would have certainly have sent out their second stringers against Scotland in Miami. This would have given us the best opportunity of getting another point.

Ifs and maybes aren’t important, it is what we do next and I reckon the open 4-4-2 utilised in Boston, leaving the two central midfielders exposed is not a system we will play again at this tournament. That is a tactic to see off the minnows or a last desperate attempt to score a late winner or equaliser. The next two, and hopefully more, matches here will look nothing like this one, tactics will be more sophisticated and certainly harder to play against.

Clarke had a lot of calls to make against Haiti. Late on the right flank was faltering against the impressive Ruben Providence and Martin Experience. The cramping Gannon-Doak and the wilting Aaron Hickey were replaced by Ryan Christie and Nathan Patterson, danger averted just in the nick of time. Bringing on Curtis and then removing John McGinn to allow Scott McTominay further forward relieved some of the defensive stress in the final minutes, which could have been backs to the wall desperation time.

Clarke suggested he spotted early on that it looked like it was a one-goal game and took specific risks on this premise. It worked and maybe there was a little luck involved, but then it is sometimes better to be lucky than good. Scotland have been unlucky often enough, we will take this rub of the green with pleasure.