When talking about goalkeepers, handling is so important – and few can criticise the way Zander Clark has handled the pressure being applied by a fit-again Craig Gordon.

With all the talk centred on the return of the Tynecastle veteran after a year spent on the sidelines rehabilitating from a horror leg break, little consideration seems to have been paid to the man currently in possession of the starting berth. Like Gordon, Clark has ambitions to be on the plane to Euro 2024 with Scotland this summer, meaning he does not want to relinquish his place in the Hearts team without a fight and on Wednesday night in what is always one of the biggest fixtures for most Hearts and Hibs fans, he delivered on derby night. With some saves and the long ball forward for the late winner, he played such a pivotal role in keeping the Gorgie side in the game that goalscorer Lawrence Shankland said he owed him a pint.

“I think there has been pressure put on externally,” admitted Hearts manager Steven Naismith, as he weighed up the former St Johnstone keeper’s contribution since stepping in to fill the void left by Gordon last Christmas. “I have been consistent with what I’ve said. He is a top goalie who has had a brilliant year. The circumstance he is dealing with is that there is a legend of the club, an unbelievable goalie, who is back fit. That is competition for places but it isn’t easy to deal with, especially as a goalie when there is one position. But Zander has dealt with it perfectly. He is a top goalie. He took his chance a year ago, he’s come in and made his Scotland debut and he has made a massive impact for us tonight.”

Hearts goalkeeper Zander Clark plunges to his right to save Martin Boyle's penalty in the win over Hibs.

While many have been counting down the days to Gordon’s reinstatement, convinced he merely had to pass himself fit and walk straight back into goal, Clark has been railing against going back to the support role he performed for the first four months of his Hearts career. And, while he has his critics, he also has statistics, which will back him up. Only Rangers’ Jack Butland has managed more clean sheets this term, with Naismith noting the capital club’s improving record in that department. Having played 19 league games this term, Clark and the men in front of him have kept the opposition out in more than 50 per cent of those matches, giving him a better record than Celtic’s Joe Hart.

Three of those clean sheets have come in the last three games, against the defending league champions away as well as St Mirren – the team that spent most of the first half of the season in or around the top three before being toppled by Hearts – and then at the home of their city rivals. It all shows just how well Clark has handled the presence of Gordon on the bench.

“I would have probably liked to have been a bit more comfortable,” he said of the game against Hibs, where he pulled off a superb dive to tip Martin Boyle’s well-struck penalty onto the post, and backed that up with blocks, interventions and smart positioning to help lay the foundations for Shankland’s stoppage-time winner at the other end of the pitch. “As a keeper I always say that if you make important saves at key times and keep clean sheets that contribute to a win, it’s always pleasing.

“Penalties can go anywhere really but we always do look over them. You can’t really say they will go this way or another, it’s how you feel in the moment. But I was probably due one and it got our fans going again and gave everyone a lift. We’d had the chance to go one up and missed the penalty so it was a horrible feeling when we then conceded a penalty. I knew that if we lost a goal [the mood] would have been flatter but it’s those sort of moments you know you can go and give the team a lift if you save it. It was brilliant. Listen, it wasn’t a classic, and we knew it was going to take a bit of magic to turn the game but when you have Shanks up there, he’s more than capable of producing it – and what a finish it was. I think it was more relief getting the three points when it looked like it was only going to be one and it obviously creates a bit of distance from them at the minute.”

Clark celebrates in front of the travelling Hearts support.

The stoppage-time winner prevented Kilmarnock from closing in on third but it also left Hibs lagging eight points behind their rivals. Clark sees good reason to feel optimistic about the second half of the season, especially if they can hold onto Shankland beyond the January transfer window. “We have players all over the park in the attacking areas with that bit of magic,” Clark said. “We saw it the other day with Alan Forrest and with Barrie McKay coming back from injury. They can produce moments of magic and when Shanks took it on to the left foot, under pressure, and swung it into the top corner, it was a great feeling.

“Listen, I think Shanks is fully focussed on us at the minute. He’s under contract here and he is putting on performances like that and scoring goals. He’s a top quality striker. He’s proven it so much for us over the season. It was a great bit of skill to get in and he knows where the goal is. That’s two on the bounce with his left foot so he might be kidding us on that he’s right footed. Whatever happens we’ll enjoy him. He’s comfortable here in the changing room and all we can do is focus on the next game and that’s what we’ll be looking to do.”

Zander Clark proves Hearts worth: stats second only to Rangers' Butland, 'extra pressure' and views on Shankland saga