When you’re down you find out who your REAL friends are

KEEPER ADMITS WOLVES FLAK HAS ‘KNOCKED MY CONFIDENCE’

MARTIN DUBRAVKA has laid bare the agony of being a keeper under fire.

The Newcastle star said he had replayed “100 times” the controversial stoppage-time goal scored by Willy Boly (below) that denied the Toon a win at Wolves on Monday.

Dubravka claims he is finding out who his friends are, after also conceding late to Heung-min Son against Tottenham two weeks ago.

The 30-year-old admits he blundered against Spurs, but has hit out at a lack of protection for keepers, insisting he was “blinded” by Boly’s arms wrapped around him as he jumped to catch the ball.

Dubravka said: “I am the kind of person who analyses everything and watches the game twice. It can knock your confidence.

“I hope I did well enough in the previous games so that I can build up my confidence again.

“I’m a human being, I can make mistakes. I obviously try not to make them. When you are down that’s when you see who your real friends are. Everybody has something to say and it’s easy to criticise, but I’m very lucky that I have great people around me, great teammates and they support me through everything. That’s important psychologically.”

Dubravka has talked through his actions on the much-debated incident with Boly. He added: “It was definitely a free-kick. I remember seeing the ball come over and thinking, ‘I can catch this’.

“Then, suddenly, I was blind, I had a hand close to my head, so I couldn’t see the ball. Obviously, I thought the referee would whistle. I was really surprised that there was no whistle.”

Boly’s last-gasp leveller denied Newcastle victory, and Dubravka said he would not change his decision to catch, rather than punch.

He said: “The rules are really clear, you have to protect the keeper in the box.

“I’m not the kind of keeper who will complain too much and cry a lot, we have to look at the future. I have to approach the next game with 200 per cent extra strength.

“I have seen some criticism, of course, because I look at social media sometimes. I have seen some negative comments.

“I have to say most of the messages from Newcastle fans have been positive.”

Dubravka joined the Magpies for £4.5million last January and had a huge impact with his handling and distribution.

Speaking from the Toon’s warm-weather training base from the La Finca resort near Alicante, he said: “People ask me how the first year has been and I tell them that it still feels like my first day.

“I dreamt about this and I always wanted to get to the top level so to be here is great. I don’t want it to end.”

THE funeral of England’s greatest goalkeeper Gordon Banks will take place at Stoke Minster on March 4. The date will mark the 47th anniversary of Stoke’s League Cup final victory over Chelsea – in which Banks (below) played a decisive role. Banks, a member of England’s 1966 World Cup winning side, died earlier this week aged 81. A statement from the Potters read: “The funeral of legendary Stoke City and England goalkeeper Gordon Banks OBE will take place on Monday, March 4 at 1.30pm at Stoke Minster. “That day has special poignancy as it marks the 47th anniversary of City’s League Cup triumph in 1972 in which Gordon, of course, played a key role.” Access to the funeral service will be strictly by invitation.

BLOCK IT OUT OF MIND Dubravka has had a rough time of it lately but is heartened by the support from players & fans