The final moments of Dundee’s 1-0 win at Hearts brought a range of emotions for goalkeeper Trevor Carson.
Elation at the three points, delight at a clean sheet and sheer surprise that he came shoulder to shoulder with his opposite number as a high ball came towards his goal.
Then came relief when the referee blew his whistle.
The Dark Blues ground out a hard-earned victory thanks to Simon Murray’s first-half strike.
Manager Tony Docherty hailed the win as a full team performance with outstanding displays across the pitch.
None more so than Carson. The Northern Irishman pulled off two fine stops in the first half to deny Jorge Grant, saved from Kenneth Vargas in stoppage time and then came the final stramash.
Scotland No 1 Gordon was sent forward for a Hearts corner. The first delivery was knocked out and the ball floated back in by Yan Dhanda.
Up rose the two goalkeepers before Alan Forrest finished, putting the ball in after ref Ross Hardie had blown for a foul.
‘I just felt the hit’
“I didn’t expect big Craigy to be smashing me last minute!” Carson revealed after helping Dundee move out of the Premiership’s bottom two.
“I spoke to the big man after. I said if that happened to you, you’d be calling for it.
“He was saying it wasn’t a foul but I felt it.
“I heard the whistle obviously before it’s been in the net, hence the reason I didn’t get up and react.
“It’s funny Scott Tiffoney was told to pick up Gordon and wee Tiff just looked up at the big goalie!
“I actually didn’t even know it was Craigy because obviously I’m facing that way and the big man’s got a run on me from behind and I just felt the hit.
“I was glad to hear the whistle.”
‘He absolutely smashed me’
It was a rare sight to see a foul given against one goalkeeper for a challenge on the other.
Carson, though, recalled a similar moment during his time down south.
The roles were reversed, though.
Asked if he had ever been fouled by a fellow goalkeeper before, Carson replied: “No I don’t think so, it’s probably the first time.
“Actually I fouled another goalie.
“I remember playing against Carlisle, Mark Gillespie was the goalie and we laughed about it because he obviously came to Motherwell years after.
“I remember thinking I’m going to get my head on this and it was right on top of me and big Mark just came and he absolutely smashed me.”
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