Rob Page hopes the presence of Aaron Ramsey can help Wales realise their Euro 2024 dream after the injured captain joined them on their long trek to Armenia.

Midfielder Ramsey has not played since mid-September after damaging a knee tendon, missing last month’s stunning victory over World Cup semi-finalists Croatia that has left automatic qualification in Wales’ own hands entering the final two games.

The 32-year-old, however, has taken the unusual step of an injured player being present for Wales’ 4,600-round mile trip to Yerevan, one of European football’s most remote outposts.

“Rambo’s travelled with the lads, which is brilliant,” Page said ahead of Saturday’s penultimate qualifier at the Republican Stadium, scene of their only previous visit to this corner of Eastern Europe in 2001 – a game the manager played in.

“It’s the presence around the changing room. I used to say it with Gareth Bale. Aaron falls into the same category for me.

“The wealth of experience he’s got. Just being around young JJ (Jordan James), who can pick his brains on just about anything. He’s the captain and he’s been wanting to travel. He’s been with the group all week.

“He’s done his little bits of work that he’s needed to for Cardiff. He’s got a plan and gone off and done his own bits.

“We’ve had to find a training ground for him, but he wants to be around the boys and I think that speaks volumes about what we’ve got as a group.”

Wales know two closing victories – already-qualified Turkey are the visitors to Cardiff on Tuesday – will see them secure qualification for a fourth tournament out of five.

Dropped points will need them relying on favourable results elsewhere and the prospect of avoiding the play-offs in March where the likes of Norway, Poland and Ukraine could be lurking.

“The camp has been great all week. The positivity has been incredible,” said Page, who has a difficult selection call to make with Tottenham forward Brennan Johnson available after missing the Croatia win through injury.

“There’s enough experience in that changing room of big games, when you need big players to step up for big games – and this is a big game for us.

“Our full focus is on this game. We’re not even talking about Tuesday’s game. We’ve got enough experience to cope with this.

“We haven’t got anything where you need that siege mentality (like Wales did in October) but we’re coming off the back of one of the best performances we’ve ever had, certainly of my tenure.

“We can’t be complacent, we need consistency when it comes to that level of performance. If we do that the result will look after itself.”

Ben Davies, as he did against Croatia, will lead Wales in the absence of Ramsey and playing at Euro 2024 would represent the Tottenham defender’s fourth major tournament – three European Championships and the 2022 World Cup.

Davies said: “This is the dream for us and it doesn’t matter if you’ve done it once or three or four times.

“We’re confident as a group that on the day we can beat anybody. We’ve done that in the last two and we want to show that again.

“We’re a good group, a tight-knit group, and it’s nice to see the same faces every time you come.

“You end up playing as a family and I think that where our success has been gained, being a band of brothers out there.”

Everton have been hit with an unprecedented 10-point penalty after being found to have “taken chances” with the Premier League’s financial rules.

An independent commission found the club’s desire to improve their on-pitch performance had resulted in them acting “irresponsibly” and exceeding permitted losses under the league’s profitability and sustainability rules (PSR).

The points deduction drops Everton to 19th in the table and leaves major question marks over whether a sale of the club by current owner Farhad Moshiri to an American investment firm, 777 Partners, will proceed.

The club immediately indicated their intention to appeal against the sanction. It is understood the appeal will be heard during the course of the current season.

Everton could also now face compensation claims against them over the case.

The Premier League published a commission judgement from May which granted five clubs – Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Southampton, Leicester and Burnley – 28 days from Friday to inform the commission of their intention to pursue a compensation claim.

None of those clubs have so far commented on this matter.

The Premier League’s PSR permit losses of £105million over a three-year period. Everton’s losses up to 2021-22 were found to be £124.5million, exceeding the limit by £19.5million even accounting for allowances made for the Covid-19 pandemic.

The club put forward various items they felt should be excluded from the PSR calculation, including interest costs related to the construction of their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, the portion of the club’s transfer levy related to youth development and the £10m lost on the club’s decision not to seek damages against a player whose contract was terminated in 2021.

Everton also argued that a depressed summer transfer market in 2020 owing to Covid-19 reduced the revenue they would have earned from player sales. They also said they had lost out on a £200m stadium naming rights deal with USM as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent sanctions imposed by the British Government. USM is a conglomerate whose single largest stakeholder is Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov.

However, the commission concluded: “The cause of Everton’s PSR difficulties was the fact that it overspent (largely on its purchase of new players and its inability to sell other players), and because it finished lower in the league than it had projected in FY 2022 (16th against the projected 6th – causing a loss of expected income of c.£21 million).

“Everton’s understandable desire to improve its on-pitch performance (to replace the non-existent midfield, as Mr Moshiri put it in evidence) led it to take chances with its PSR position: those chances resulted in it exceeding the £105 million threshold by £19.5 million.

“The position that Everton finds itself in is of its own making – it is Everton’s responsibility to ensure that it complies with the PSR regime. The excess over the threshold is significant. The consequence is that Everton’s culpability is great.

“We take into account the fact that Everton’s PSR trend over the relevant four years is positive, but cannot ignore the fact that the failure to comply with the PSR regime was the result of Everton irresponsibly taking a chance that things would turn out positively.

“Further, Everton was less than frank in its dealings with the Premier League over the stadium interest issue.

“The reality is that Everton failed to manage its finances so as to operate within the generous threshold of £105m. Its mismanagement led to that threshold being exceeded by £19.5million.

“This was a serious breach that requires a significant penalty.”

The commission concluded that a sporting sanction was the only option for a club owned by a billionaire like Moshiri.

“A financial penalty for a club that enjoys the support of a wealthy owner is not a sufficient penalty,” the commission’s written reasons stated.

“We agree with the Premier League that the requirements of punishment, deterrence, vindication of compliant clubs, and the protection of the integrity of the sport demand a sporting sanction in the form of a points deduction. The issue is not the form of sanction, but its extent.”

The written reasons show Everton’s position was that any sanction imposed by the commission should be financial rather than sporting in nature, but said if it had to be a sporting sanction then a transfer ban would be more appropriate than a points deduction.

The club said in a statement: “Everton Football Club is both shocked and disappointed by the ruling of the Premier League’s commission.

“The club believes that the commission has imposed a wholly disproportionate and unjust sporting sanction.

“The club has already communicated its intention to appeal the decision to the Premier League. The appeal process will now commence and the club’s case will be heard by an Appeal Board appointed pursuant to the Premier League’s rules in due course.

“Everton maintains that it has been open and transparent in the information it has provided to the Premier League and that it has always respected the integrity of the process.

“The club does not recognise the finding that it failed to act with the utmost good faith and it does not understand this to have been an allegation made by the Premier League during the course of proceedings.

“Both the harshness and severity of the sanction imposed by the commission are neither a fair nor a reasonable reflection of the evidence submitted.

“The club will also monitor with great interest the decisions made in any other cases concerning the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules.”

Portsmouth and Middlesbrough are the only other clubs to have been docked points in Premier League history. Pompey were hit with a 10-point sanction in March 2010 after entering administration while Boro’s three-point penalty in January 1997 related to a short-notice match postponement the previous month. Both clubs were relegated at the end of the season.

Mouse Morris made another successful raid to Britain as Foxy Jacks claimed the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on Friday.

Morris has already struck on British shores this term with Gentlemansgame in the Charlie Hall, and his nine-year-old produced a superb round of jumping in the hands of Gavin Brouder to hold off Dan Skelton’s Latenightpass in a thrilling finish.

The trainer is of course no stranger to success at Prestbury Park, but was delighted with his charge who provided him with his first winner at the track since First Lieutenant struck at the Festival in 2011.

“It was very tenacious, he’s not simple but got a great ride, he jumped super,” said Morris of the 9-1 scorer.

“I thought he was in great shape coming here, but there are 30 fences to jump and jumping is not what he is noted for. These sort of races change his mind a little.

“It was his first time over the banks and I couldn’t be happier. There are a lot of days he hasn’t delivered which makes these days good.

“He has been running well this year, he won the Midlands National and was third in the Kerry National, so something has happened to him.

“I don’t think weight matters to this fella, it is just getting him on his day. He belongs to great people who love the craic and we will go where we can have some fun.”

Gordon Elliott’s pair of Delta Work and Galvin fought out the finish of the cross country at the Cheltenham Festival in the spring but finished down the field in their return to action.

Both have a return in March on the agenda, but Elliott is keen to see how Delta Work (sixth) comes out of the contest having failed to sparkle in the second half of the contest.

“Keith (Donoghue) actually said for the second half of the race he never jumped which he usually does and he was a bit sore pulling up. So we will have to see how he is,” said Elliott.

“Cheltenham is the plan in March, but once he’s OK in the morning that is all that matters. You can see in the second half of the race he never jumped like he can.

“In fairness we were happy with the run, if we got beat today we wouldn’t have been disappointed but he never jumped for the second half of the race, he just wasn’t right.

“Galvin (eighth) ran very well, he just hated the ground and we’re very happy. March is the plan and it will probably be one run over hurdles and that is it.”

Carlos Alcaraz defeated Daniil Medvedev to set up a tasty ATP Finals clash with Novak Djokovic.

Having lost his opening match to Alexander Zverev, Alcaraz knew only victory over previously unbeaten Medvedev would be enough to qualify for the semi-finals.

He achieved the feat in style, wrapping up a 6-4 6-4 victory to join the Russian in the last four on his debut in Turin.

Alcaraz’s superior sets record means he tops the group and will face Djokovic in a rematch of their unforgettable Wimbledon final, while Medvedev meets fourth seed Jannik Sinner, the only player yet to lose a match.

Medvedev had already qualified for the last four but there was still plenty on the line in terms of prize money and ranking points, and ultimately he could not match the all-round quality of Alcaraz, who roared with delight when he clinched victory.

“The most important thing that I did today is to stay strong mentally,” he told Amazon Prime Video.

“There were a few games with my serve that I was struggling a little bit, his return game is amazing and he puts so much pressure on you. I think to stay calm, to stay strong mentally in those moments was the key.”

This will be a fourth meeting of the season between Alcaraz and Djokovic, with the young Spaniard claiming the Wimbledon crown but losing out at the French Open and in Cincinnati in August.

“It’s one of the most difficult challenges that I’m going to face, facing Novak in this tournament that he has won six times,” said Alcaraz.

“Obviously Novak is Novak, he’s the best player in the world right now. I’m going to put my best tennis (out there) and I’m going to enjoy it. I’m excited.”

A football fan who mocked mascot Bradley Lowery during a match against the youngster’s favourite team has been spared immediate jail by a judge who said his actions were “utterly appalling” and “disgraceful”.

Sheffield Wednesday fan Dale Houghton, 32, taunted Sunderland fans with a picture of Bradley, who died in 2017, on his phone during a match at Hillsborough Stadium on September.

Houghton, from Rotherham, admitted a public order offence at a previous hearing and on Friday he was given a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work by District Judge Marcus Waite.

Mr Waite said: “You showed callous disrespect to a brave young man who was righty held in the highest esteem by football fans everywhere.”

The Injured Jockeys Fund has provided a further update on Graham Lee, in which he is described as having made “positive progress”.

The Grand National and Ascot Gold Cup-winning rider remains in Royal Victoria Infirmary Hospital in Newcastle after a serious fall last week, when unseated from Ben Macdui at the start of an all-weather handicap on Friday.

He suffered an unstable cervical fracture causing damage to his spinal cord and has undergone two procedures to stabilise the fractures and further protect his spinal cord.

The IJF update, circulated on Friday afternoon, read: “Graham has made positive progress in the last 24 hours and has been able to talk normally with his family for short periods when his ventilator is turned down.

“He has been reviewed by his spinal consultant and when a bed becomes available in the ITU at James Cook Hospital, Middlesborough, he will be transferred closer to home.

“Graham and his family want to thank everyone for their continued and overwhelming support.”

Scotland drew 2-2 with Georgia in Tbilisi in the penultimate match of their successful European Championship qualifying campaign.

Scott McTominay and substitute Lawrence Shankland both hit equalisers after Napoli attacker Khvicha Kvaratskhelia struck twice for the hosts.

Here are five things we learned from the encounter in the Boris Paichadze Stadium ahead of Scotland’s final Group A game against Norway on Sunday.

Substitutes are key again

Kenny McLean scored a late winner off the bench in Oslo in June and the substitute made a more sustained if less spectacular impact on Thursday night. The Norwich midfielder set up McTominay to level and generally helped improve Scotland’s possession after a slack first half with fellow half-time replacement Lewis Ferguson also contributing. Shankland then headed home in stoppage time from fellow sub Stuart Armstrong’s cross with Anthony Ralston also showing up well in a brief cameo. Manager Steve Clarke has not always been quick to make changes but it appears that the bench is becoming more and more important to Scotland in the five-subs era.

Shankland stakes his claim

The Hearts striker dropped out of the squad last month but earned a late call-up on the back of five goals in his last five club games when Che Adams pulled out. The 28-year-old seized his chance when he rose well to head home. “We needed a goal and you know Lawrence has always got a chance of getting a goal,” said Clarke as he explained why he had used him. Scotland will undoubtedly need a goal at some stage in Germany next summer and an in-form Shankland is arguably the most natural goalscorer Scotland have.

Pot two still in reach

Spain’s late goal in Seville last month wiped out Scotland’s head-to-head advantage and any realistic chance of Clarke’s side topping the group. Scotland would need to beat Norway on Sunday while Georgia win in Spain for that to happen. There is a better chance of Scotland finishing as the best runners-up and sealing a place in pot two for next month’s draw. That looks likely to be Austria, assuming Belgium beat Azerbaijan, but a two-goal win or a high-scoring one-goal victory could put the Scots among the second seeds. However, that could theoretically hand Scotland a tougher draw given the likes of Netherlands, Denmark, Italy or Ukraine are headed for pot three.

Zander Clark shows his mettle

The Hearts goalkeeper was beaten at his near post for Kvaratskhelia’s opener but there were bigger factors in the lead-up to the goal which left the former St Johnstone man exposed on his competitive debut. Clark went on to make three assured saves including one in the dying seconds.

Back four experiment has mixed success

With Kieran Tierney, Andy Robertson and Aaron Hickey joining long-term absentee Grant Hanley on the sidelines in recent weeks, Clarke went with a back four featuring Nathan Patterson, Ryan Porteous, Scott McKenna and Greg Taylor. Scotland seemed more open as a result, especially in the first half, although they dominated the final half hour. Tierney’s return to fitness looks key to Scotland’s Euro 2024 prospects given his influence in the back three.

Two Cheltenham Festival winners and a host of placed horses from the big meeting in March make this year’s Paddy Power Gold Cup one not to be missed.

Stage Star and The Real Whacker took the Turners Novices’ Chase and Brown Advisory respectively at the showpiece fixture, and both have featured heavily in the ante-post market on this historic handicap.

The former disappointed when last of five at Aintree after Cheltenham, but Paul Nicholls is not losing sleep over that ahead of the weekend.

“You can put a line through his last start at Aintree, which was one race too many after a busy campaign,” the champion trainer told Betfair.

“The Paddy Power has been the target for him since the summer and there are plenty of positives, as he is brilliant fresh, having won first time out for the last three seasons.

“He also likes racing left-handed, will not mind how soft the ground gets and we know he handles Cheltenham.

“Yes, he does have a lot of weight because he is rated on what he achieved last year but it helps that the top one (The Real Whacker) runs, which means Stage Star is on a nice racing weight of 11st 7lb.”

Trained by Patrick Neville, The Real Whacker is a perfect three from three over fences – with all of those runs coming at Cheltenham.

Unsurprisingly, the Gold Cup is his big target and it is also not a shock connections have opted to start his season here, even with his welter burden of 12st.

“Two and a half (miles) is a lovely starting point for him. He won over two and a half in January in the Dipper,” said North Yorkshire-based Neville.

“We’ll just go our own gallop and if anything wants to take him on or go a cutthroat gallop, then we’ll let them on, as he doesn’t have to make the running.

“When he ran in Doncaster, we dropped him out stone last, so if something else wanted to make the running, it might even help carry him into it a bit, but we’ll see.

“Hopefully, he’ll run his race and come back sound and we’ll move on to the next day.”

Dan Skelton saddles Unexpected Party – fifth in the Turners and a Listed winner on his return at Chepstow last month, form subsequently boosted by runner-up Knappers Hill.

Skelton said: “Unexpected Party beat Knappers Hill, who came out and won easy at Wincanton, which he was entitled to do, being honest. I expected Knappers Hill to win that, so I don’t think it improves our chance.

“What it did do was offer comfort that I was as confident with Unexpected Party on Friday night as I was on Saturday night. He’s got the right profile for the race, but we thought that before seeing what Knappers Hill came out and did.

“He ran in the Turners at the Cheltenham Festival and he has turned up on some big days. The preliminaries before the race won’t get to him and that is a big part of it.

“He is a good traveller and a slick jumper, and I don’t want to put the mockers on him with a comment like that, but that is what he is good at, and that is what you need for a race like this.”

Another runner for Nicholls is last year’s fourth Il Ridoto, who also has winning form at the Prestbury Park circuit.

The Ditcheat handler said: “He ran a series of solid races last season carrying big weights and finally got his reward with a fluent victory at this track in January, then didn’t take to the National fences at Aintree (in the Topham).

“He is 6lb higher now so it’s a bonus that Freddie Gingell’s claim takes off a handy 5lb. Il Ridoto is a year older, more mature and should be knocking on the door again.”

Sam Thomas has enjoyed a good start to the new season and he sends out Angels Breath, who showed his well-being with a solid second over hurdles here last month.

“We were thrilled with him last time and it is sort of now or never really. He’s a nine-year-old in good form, so we thought we would take our chance,” Thomas said.

“It’s a very competitive race, but we’re lucky to have such a lovely horse and fingers crossed he puts in a good performance and comes back safe and sound.”

Also prominent in the market is the Lauran Morgan-trained Notlongtillmay, second only to Stage Star in the Turners in March.

“This was the aim, we’re 3lb better off with Stage Star and Stage Star isn’t going to get an easy lead like he did in the Turners – there’s going to be a lot of pace in this on Saturday,” Morgan said.

“With The Real Whacker running, our lad goes in there with a nice racing weight (11st 4lb) and he’ll go through the (soft) ground, that wouldn’t worry me at all.”

Like Nicholls, Morgan has a second-string to her bow in the shape of Whistleinthedark.

She added: “I’m not too fussed about not getting a run in, as he’s done a lot of work at home. We’ve got a two-mile grass gallop and he’s fairly ready without having had that run to sharpen him – he’s not far away.”

Homme Public ensured Henry Brooke could celebrate his first ever victory at Cheltenham in the SSS Super Alloys Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices’ Chase but he was fortunate to do so.

The favourite JPR One looked to have done everything right the whole way round as Brendan Powell set a scorching gallop.

Coming down the hill before the turn for home, it possibly looked like he had gone too fast as the three other runners all closed up, including Homme Public.

However, Powell had saved plenty on Joe Tizzard’s six-year-old and no sooner had he given the others a sniff had he shot clear again and seemingly put the race to bed.

He cleared the second last in style and with just one fence left to negotiate, it appeared the UK had a rock-solid contender for Arkle glory but, as many before him have found, the last at Cheltenham takes some jumping and he landed too steeply, giving Powell no chance.

Suddenly Homme Public, having looked booked for second, was left in front and while Petit Tonnerre gave him a fright, he won by two lengths.

Homme Public is trained by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, who have made a fantastic start to the season and won the Grand Sefton last weekend with Gesskille.

There was a fitting start to Cheltenham’s November Meeting when David Pipe’s American Sniper landed the opening Lycetts Insurance Brokers Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.

The Pipes have been synonymous with success at this meeting down the years and although Pond House may be lacking the stars of old, they showed they can still land a punch on the big occasion as American Sniper (16-1) led home a one-three for the Somerset team, with stablemate Paricolor picking up the bronze medal.

It was Pipe’s fourth win in the race since 2014 and first at the track since the spring of 2022 with a first-time tongue-tie working the oracle on his winning five-year-old, who was never involved over three miles at the track last month.

“We probably haven’t got as many as we used to, but we fancied both of them and they finished first and third,” said Pipe.

“On their best bits of form they had chances. We’ll enjoy today.

“We put a tongue-tie on him for the first time which probably helped and he likes a bit better ground, so obviously first race of the meeting it obviously helped.”

Brendan Powell delivered Triple Trade (100-30 favourite) with perfection as Joe Tizzard’s seven-year-old hunted down Dan Skelton’s Calico late in the day to go one better than his running on second here in October.

“I thought it was a lovely race for him today and Brendan gave him a peach,” said the winning trainer.

“He was always going to play him late-ish and he didn’t get into him until the last and won nicely. It was a proper performance.

“The horse deserved to win off his last form and he’s improving all the time. He’s been sharper since that last run, a lot of my horses were needing the run three weeks ago and I expected a big performance and it came off.

“He’s one of the cheapest horses we’ve ever bought, he cost £12,000 I think it was, so he was cheap and three good lads own him. Dad said he was a Gold Cup horse when he bought him but couldn’t get him on the track for 18 months.”

Triple Trade could now be tasked with replicating Amarillo Sky’s Newbury victory in the Coral Get Closer To The Action Handicap Chase on December 2.

“I would be half-tempted to take him to Newbury at the end of the month,” added Tizzard.

“There is that nice handicap at the end of the Saturday that we won with Amarillo Sky.

“We will see how he comes out of it, but I’m tempted by that and it is in the back of my mind. These two milers, you can run them a bit more frequent.

“We were never dreaming he was an Amarillo Sky, but he’s heading in the right direction isn’t he and I’m really tempted to take him to Newbury if it is nice and soft in a couple of weeks’ time and keep having a lot of fun.”

Navan’s new two-day Festival has attracted some real equine stars – with champion jockey Paul Townend especially excited about teaming up with Facile Vega in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase on Saturday.

Always highly thought of as just the second foal out of Willie Mullins’ champion mare Quevega, he won the Cheltenham Festival bumper in 2022.

Having landed a Grade One on just his second outing over hurdles last season, Facile Vega ran inexplicably badly at the Dublin Racing Festival and, despite returning to something like his best at Cheltenham, had no answer to Marine Nationale in the Supreme in March.

While he enjoyed a stroll at Punchestown to end on a winning note, he has always had the size and scope of a chaser.

“Facile Vega was a star novice hurdler last season. He’s one we’re really looking forward to getting going over fences and he’s one that could even improve for fences,” Townend told Navan Racecourse.

“His schooling has been really good and we’re looking forward to getting him out on the track.

“He has the size and scope to develop into a better chaser, his mother got better with age and he did really well through the summer. Without putting the mockers on him, I like the way he’s taken to fences at home.

“Navan is a good, big, fair track with an inviting fence, it’s one of the tracks we are blessed to have on our doorstep in Ireland.”

It is far from a penalty kick, however, with Henry de Bromhead’s Inthepocket, also a Grade One-winning hurdler, and the Gordon Elliott pair of Saint Felicien and Sa Fureur, who have been favourites for the Coral Cup for the past two seasons.

Townend also rides Dysart Dynamo, who steps out of novice company in the Bar One Fortria Chase

“The conditions suit Dysart Dynamo. He ran into El Fabiolo a couple of times but without him around he’d have had a tremendous season. It looks a nice place to start him off, with the conditions suiting,” said Townend.

Captain Guinness, Saint Roi, Now Where Or When and Riviere D’etel complete the field.

Last year’s winner Home By The Lee and Stayers’ Hurdle victor Sire Du Berlais look to put down an early marker in the Railway Bar Lismullen Hurdle.

Home By The Lee will be joined by his Joseph O’Brien-trained stablemate Busselton.

“He’s done great (over the summer) and I’m looking forward to getting him started for the season,” O’Brien said of Home By The Lee.

“I suppose he will go down the staying hurdle route and we’re looking forward to the year ahead.

“The plan was always he would have an extended break and he is starting back a bit later than last year, but we’re not too worried about that and we’re looking forward to getting him back on track.

“Leopardstown (at Christmas) is probably his big target for the first half of the season.”

On Busselton, he added: “He also had a pretty busy campaign last year and had a nice holiday during the summer.

“This is a nice starting point for him, even though his best runs have come over a bit further than this.”

Bob Olinger and Zanahiyr will also have plenty of followers in an open race.

Incredibly, Gordon Elliott has declared 15 of the 22 runners in the Bar One Racing Troytown Handicap Chase on Sunday, albeit Thedevilscoachman heads the market for Noel Meade.

Zander Clark has got the taste for more Scotland caps after making his competitive debut in the 2-2 draw in Georgia.

With Angus Gunn injured, the Hearts goalkeeper got the nod for his first Scotland start ahead of Motherwell’s Liam Kelly.

Clark bounced back from the loss of an early goal to make several assured stops including one in the dying seconds following Tynecastle team-mate Lawrence Shankland’s stoppage-time equaliser.

The recognition has been a long time coming for the former St Johnstone player, who was tipped for a call-up long before he first broke into Steve Clarke’s squad in August 2021.

“I am immensely proud,” the 31-year-old said. “I was proud when I got the 45 minutes in France but to get the first competitive one means an awful lot.

“Representing your country is something you dream of as a kid and thankfully I have been able to do it.

“Hopefully I have done enough and I can try and get many more but I know it’s going to be a tough ask. But I am just delighted to eventually get to taste it and it’s something I want more of.

“On a personal level, delighted, as a collective there is obviously a bit of disappointment not to take three points from the game. But we said after it, when you can’t win the game, you just need to make sure you don’t lose it.”

Clark admitted he had to focus on the game rather than his own excitement after hearing he was in the team ahead of Kelly and Robby McCrorie.

“It was just in the pre-match meeting, the manager named the team,” he said.

“The three of us have worked this week in the build-up to it, so it was going to be a tough decision, I was just thankful I managed to get the nod.

“I was obviously delighted but you just need to put it to the back of your mind and concentrate on the game, which I thought I did.

“It’s a proud moment to see your name in the starting line-up but you quickly forget about that and it’s mind on the business.”

Clark showed strong hands to parry several efforts as Georgia displayed how they qualified for the Euro 2024 play-offs with an unbeaten Nations League record.

“As a goalkeeper you want to make saves that can help the team get a result,” he said. “I felt I had a couple of decent ones.

“Obviously you want to prevent the goals but credit to the boys, they made it stuffy for us, pegged us back twice and came back and got the draw in the end.”

The manager gave little away on his plans for the position earlier this week after allowing Clark and Kelly to share duties in France last month.

And the Hearts player is keen to continue in goal for Sunday’s final Group A game against Norway as the Tartan Army finally get the chance to celebrate qualification en masse.

“It will be a great game,” he said. More positive going into it on the back of not losing. Back in front of the crowd at Hampden will be joyous, I would imagine.

“We know it will be a tough game but if we play the way the manager and coaching staff want us to play, we have a right good chance of picking up three points.”