Zander Clark aiming for more St Johnstone cup heroics against Dundee

The goalkeeper’s form over the past two-seasons has propelled him into Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad on a personal note.

He played a massive role in the club’s double-cup winning success last term too, from penalty shootout saves to cup final clean sheets.

And the 29-year-old is hopeful to be included in October’s national pool too.

Reflecting on becoming skipper in the weekend win, he said: “It was a privilege for me. I’ve been at the club a long time, so to lead that group of players out was a proud moment.

“And picking up the first win of the season made it that bit more special. Hopefully, it’s the kick-started we need to go on a sort of successful run.

“I thoroughly enjoyed it (Scotland call-up) it was a great experience for me.

“And it was an experience I took a lot from; training, up against some right top quality players from down the road and in Scotland.

“I face the boys here on a regular occurrence. But to work with Craigy and Liam also was a great experience. You always take bits and bobs away from every sort of training session you do.

Zander Clark in Scotland action

“Getting in the Scotland squad, it’s a reward for the hard work you’ve put in. Not just in the last few months, but the last few years – however long I’ve been at the club and playing regular.

“It’s a reward for the hard work you’ve put in for that. It was pleasing.

“But we’re back to club business now and, what I always said before making the Scotland squad, back to doing what I can for this club and trying to help us get positive results on the pitch.”

Saints make the short trip through to Dundee on Wednesday for a Tayside derby in the last-eight of the Premier Sports Cup.

Having amazingly triumphed in both of last season’s domestic cups, it would be fair to say the club will be dreaming of further success this time around.

Clark reckons Callum Davidson’s squad mentality is no different this season – something that is key to St Johnstone’s success.

He said: “I’d love to do it again, only this time with the captain’s armband on!

“It’s one of those things, we need to use the experiences of last season and the feelings you get after these games, we need to want to experience that more this season.

“We can use that going into the Dundee game, a sort of momentum to try and get the best result possible.

“They’ve been good games in recent times. We were probably a bit fortunate with the clean sheet in the last game but we take it.

“But it’s a game the boys look forward to.

“We know it will be a tough game and they’ll want to pick themselves up from the weekend.

“But we want to keep our confidence from Saturday going into this one. So, it will hopefully be an entertaining game.”

Last season’s quarter-final against Dunfermline in the League Cup, as well as the Scottish Cup quarter against Rangers, both went to penalty shoot-outs.

And while Clark concedes nobody wants to go through that this time around, the keeper knows St Johnstone will be very prepared for that scenario.

He added: “Cup games are always tight affairs. You could say we’ve prepared for it last season.

“Hopefully it doesn’t come to that, hopefully we can get the job done in the 90 minutes.

“If it does go to penalties, then of course you just want to get through to the next round and the semi-final of a Cup again.

“You can study folk. But it doesn’t matter of they step up to a penalty and change their mind or want to do something different. You can’t compensate for that.

“It can work in your favour, it can work against you. It’s one of those.

“You sometimes just get a wee feeling on the night or during the day what you want to do or what they’ll do.

“So, it’s what you feel at that moment. It’s just instinct. More so in open play, anything can happen.”