Besides the small step on the road to recovery that was the Scottish Premiership win at Livingston at the weekend, Rangers haven’t managed to lose sight of the starting blocks.

In Austria, they had an opportunity to build a bit of momentum and make a case for their head coach, who remains under huge pressure.

Instead, a poor throw-in from James Tavernier was lofted forward by Dimitri Lavalee, controlled by Maurice Malone, and finished by Tomi Horvat. Seven minutes had elapsed.

If that was a defensive mishap, the second goal was a defensive calamity.

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A high line at a deep free-kick was sliced open with one delightful daisy-cutter, and a scrambling Jack Butland was left blushing for a second time in the first half.

“Schoolboy stuff,” said former Rangers right-back Alan Hutton.

Two mistakes due to the Ibrox side’s mentality, according to Martin. Nothing to do with their set-up, system or style.

“The difference from the first half-hour to the next 60 minutes was too far apart really,” the head coach said. “It’s concentration, it’s mentality.

“I’m frustrated because we give away two poor goals, soft goals. We did so much work on them recently we were just not alive.

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“We hurt ourselves because they didn’t create anything from open play. It’s hurtful and frustrating.”

Just a year ago Crystal Palace were 18th in the Premier League and worryingly without a win.

Now last term’s FA Cup winners are on the longest stretch of games without defeat in their 120-year history after claiming a memorable first away victory in Europe against Dynamo Kyiv in the Conference League.

With three wins and three draws, Oliver Glasner’s high-flying Eagles sit third in the top flight with the only unbeaten record, having ended leaders Liverpool’s own successful start.

Palace last lost a match on 16 April when they were thrashed 5-0 at Newcastle.

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But they have not looked back since then, with perhaps a measure of how far they have come highlighted on Thursday, when Dynamo Kyiv – a club steeped in European history – deploying a system and tactics specifically geared to try to nullify Palace’s threat.

Not that it worked.

Glasner’s side beat Liverpool on Saturday to equal the 18-match unbeaten streak last achieved between February and August 1969, with Bert Head as their manager.

And they surpassed that mark with a polished performance in their maiden appearance at the group stage of a major European competition, despite having Borna Sosa sent off after earlier goals from Daniel Munoz and Eddie Nketiah.

“They are so hungry to succeed, and so ambitious, and of course we want to keep them pushing, and it is really easy to keep the focus high,” said Glasner.

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“We have huge respect for Dynamo Kyiv, so playing away, starting with a win with three points in the Conference League is very positive.

“Every single competition is the same, it is as important as the other one, and this is how we want to continue, game by game, and doing the best every single game.”

The players have been among the most vocal in response to the two-team suggestion.

The Welsh Rugby Players Association (WRPA) has told the WRU its proposals for the elite men’s game would “drive talent to leave Wales” and made it clear it did not agree with its “optimal solution”.

“We’ve heard those voices loud and clear, the players’ voices, we’ve met with players several times now,” said Reddin.

“Their voice is central to this as, as is the fans.

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“It would be easy to say the players don’t like it so it can’t be this, this and this.

“Respectfully, the players are a massively important voice but they are not a uniformed voice.

“There are different people in that group who have vastly different ambitions and needs from a system. That’s not a homogenous opinion.”

Wales captain Jac Morgan told the WRU unless he would leave Welsh professional club rugby if he was not playing for Ospreys.

“I have spoken to Jac, he is clearly one of our most precious talents,” said Reddin.

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“He is somebody we will be desperate to keep in Wales. Jac is an ambitious player and I respect absolutely where he is coming from in respect of the Ospreys.

“What we want to create is a system that turns Welsh players’ heads and says ‘I would love to stay here, almost regardless of what the name on the door says, because it is the best system for me and one I can thrive, win and feel connected to my national identity and where I can help my national team develop’.

“I hope through continued conversations with people like Jac we can build something that is super attractive to him and others so they want to stay.”