Kevin forgot he’s the new penalty king

THE delay between Dundee’s penalty award against Hibs on Sunday and Kevin Holt stepping forward to hammer it home could have had the conspiracy theorists suspecting he was a reluctant taker.

But the big left-back has a much simpler, and more amusing, explanation for what took him so long before firing the goal that earned the Dark Blues their first Premiership point of the season.

“Out on the pitch I actually forgot I was taking it, that’s why there was a wee wait before I stepped up,” revealed the 24-year-old with a sheepish smile.

“After Scotty (Allan) missed down at Hamilton the other week, we had a wee discussion. When the manager asked me, I was happy enough to take them.”

There follows another revelation, for, despite being the team’s free-kick specialist for the past couple of seasons and the fact he slotted Sunday’s kick right into the corner, it’s the first time he can recall taking a penalty.

“It’s my first penalty, I think. I’m sure it’s the first time I’ve ever hit one and I certainly never took any for Queen of the South.

“I’ve been confident enough to hit one but there’s always been a striker who was confident as well, so I’ve left it to them.

“I was happy to take it and, when I was stepping up, I knew where I was going to hit it and, from there, it’s just having belief in yourself.”

If he was happy with that first spot-kick, Holt admits he was disappointed at not giving Dundee a two-goal lead when presented with a header right in front of goal.

He admits had he converted then, that first point could have been three.

“I was disappointed, I was falling back when I reached it.

“I was trying to get it back across the goalie but it needed a bit more power.”

For Holt and his team-mates, the main thing was to make sure they