Trevor Carson's focus on playing 'Well for for club side

Carson saved three penalties against Coleraine in an enthralling tie at The Showgrounds.

The 32-year-old’s performance was a timely to Northern Ireland boss Ian Baraclough ahead of next month’s Euro play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“I’ve said it all along, Motherwell is my bread and butter and if I’m not performing at Motherwell, I certainly won’t be involved with Northern Ireland,” said Carson.

“All I concentrate on is doing well here and it’s up to the manager then to make a decision. We have three very good goalkeepers there and if he ever decides to put me in, I’m more than ready.

“I’ve got to make sure my club form is up to scratch because at international level you have to be on your game.

“Hopefully I can just keep doing what I’m doing and give the manager a decision to make.”

Carson has battled back from a long-term ankle injury and deep vein thrombosis to regain his top form again.

“You think these moments will never come again,” he admitted.

“To play in the Europa League and have a night like that on home soil, back in Northern Ireland, it’s what dreams are made of.

“It’s just nice to have a part and it’s not about individuals. I’ll probably get all the accolades for the penalty shootout but we said before the game, it’s not a night for individual performances, it’s about the team.

“I think it’s the furthest Motherwell have got in their history, so I’m just delighted to be in the next round."

As for the penalties Carson admitted he had done a bit of homework on the Coleraine takers.

“Penalties as a goalkeeper, there’s no pressure on you. You do your homework. I studied their pens, had a quick look even before the shootout started," he said.

“You just pick a side, back yourself and fortunately for me fortune was on my side.

“Going by my record this season in normal time, you wouldn’t think I had a strategy!

“I think that’s the seventh penalty I’ve faced in normal time and I haven’t saved one, so if you were a gambling man going into the shootout you wouldn’t have backed me.

“It was just nice to have a hand in helping the lads get through to the next round."

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