Dundee goalie Jack Hamilton determined to keep hold of No 1 spot after Cove clean sheet

Returning to the team with a clean sheet against Cove Rangers, Dundee goalie Jack Hamilton is determined to keep hold of the No 1 spot at Dens Park.

Next up is a return to the capital as the Dark Blues finish off their Betfred Cup group stage with a play-off for top spot against Premiership Hibs.

Hamilton was a casualty of the Dee’s last trip to Edinburgh, a forgettable one for the goalie as he saw six goals fly past him in a rout at the hands of his former club Hearts.

That saw 22-year-old Calum Ferrie come in for the following match with a shutout against Morton, forcing Hamilton to watch on from the stands for the following two matches.

However, neither keeper has nailed down the No 1 spot this season and Hamilton got his chance once more against Cove Rangers on Tuesday.

On the whole, he looked assured throughout the 90 minutes against the League One leaders as the Dark Blues ran out 3-0 winners.

“It was nice to get back in obviously as I just want to play football and help the team out as much as I can,” he said.

“In football, nobody’s position is safe. You work hard every week but Calum is a very good goalie.

“When things don’t go well, you can change things to get results and you just get on with it.

“Hearts are a very good side and we certainly didn’t underestimate them at all.

“A lot of their goals were good finishes.

“But like I said, things happen, things change and you try to get results.

As quick as you are out of the team, you can come back in as quick as well.

“You need competition. It is good and I want to learn every day and get better.

“You have to take the good with the bad and just lift your head, try to get a bit of confidence and kick on.

“I don’t think anyone in our dressing-room wants to be on the bench.

“But there are no bad feelings between anybody – we are all in it together as a team.

“You fully support the team that is playing as well.”

The goalie did have one moment to forget against Cove when caught in two minds to go for a quick throw and ended up comically throwing the ball to himself.

The referee took a dim view, however, and awarded the nine-man visitors an indirect free-kick which was fired wide by Mitch Megginson.

Hamilton explained: “I went to throw it but I saw the Cove man and tried to stop but it came out of my hand, it bounced and then I picked it back up. The ref says you can’t do it so I got away with that one.

“There are a lot of grey areas – you can save it and pick it up, bounce it and whatever but he pulled me up for it.”

Dundee, with Hamilton in goal, are yet to concede a goal in this year’s Betfred Cup after a 2-0 win at Brora Rangers and this week’s 3-0 success over Cove.

And the former Hearts man is keen to keep that run going at Hibs on Sunday, though he knows how tough it will be.

The target for Dundee is to be back playing the likes of Hibs in the league sooner rather than later and Hamilton is looking forward to the test against one of the country’s top sides on their own patch.

“I hope to keep my place because it’s a big game for us,” he said.

“Dundee Football Club want to be in the Premiership, the players want to be in the Premiership and all the fans want to be in the Premiership,” he added.

“That’s something we are trying to strive towards.

“We want to get the fans on side, kick on and hopefully get back to the Premiership.

“On Sunday, we want to test ourselves against Hibs as they are a very good side. We have to match them.”