Dens Parkers’ title hopes could rest on clean sheets

DUNDEE GOALKEEPER Kyle Letheren is hoping his shut-out skills can help his team win promotion to the Premiership.

Letheren recorded his seventh clean sheet in eight games for the Dark Blues on Tuesday night as they beat Queen of the South 1-0, thanks to Iain Davidson’s goal.

That victory kept them a point ahead of Hamilton Accies at the top of the Championship with just six games of the campaign remaining.

If the Welshman can keep his goal intact another half-a-dozen times, then that will give the Dens men a serious chance of becoming champions.

Letheren said: “I am delighted that things are going well.

“Any keeper will tell you they take great pride in every clean sheet they get, so to have kept seven out of eight is pleasing.

“It is the stuff of dreams and it is something which the gaffer has emphasised since coming in, that if we shut up shop at the back then we won’t be too far away.

“If I could claim another six clean sheets that would be ideal. It might sound like a big ask, but that’s the target for me.”

Letheren was put through a severe test by Queens on Tuesday, particularly during the first half when shots rained in on him.

His performance earned him the man-on-the-match award and he said: “It is nice to get recognised, but it would also would be nice if we could score a few more goals just to make things more comfortable for the team.

“It’s always tight at 1-0, which is the scoreline by which we have won our past two games.

“When things are so close, it can sometimes make for an edgy ending to the game, especially considering what’s at stake.

“Ideally we would give ourselves a bit more breathing space, although the most important thing is the fact we’re winning and it’s still in our own hands.”

Dundee face Falkirk on Saturday and Letheren is sure they can handle the tense run-in.

He said: “We have a strong dressingroom full of big characters.

“Of course, there is a bit of pressure but we are ready to handle it.” Ballantyne. Subs: Devlin, Finnie, Boyd.

Bosnia-Herzegovina beat Romania 1-0 in the other game in the qualifying group yesterday.

Scotland face Romania at Rugby Park in the final game on Saturday.

Picture: SNS Group. Jake Sheppard and Craig Wighton run away to celebrate after the former netted Scotland’s third goal.