GOALKEEPER Ryan Clarke says that Saturday’s clean sheet is his best at Oxford United.

The U’s No 1 was forced to produce several fine saves as Swindon looked to take advantage of the hosts being a man down.

But Clarke says that considering the occasion and the magnitude of the match, he feels the shut-out is his finest.

“I think that is the best,” he said.

“It’s a local derby, a full house. we’re down to ten men for virtually the whole game but win it 2-0 – that’s probably the best clean sheet I’ve had.”

He added: “It was just a fantastic occasion and is hard to take it all in to be honest.

“You just couldn’t have predicted that we’d have a man sent off and then score twice to get the win.

“We all stuck together and it was a fantastic effort to get the points.”

The goalkeeper said that the atmosphere generated by the United fans was truly special.

“It did feel special – it felt a bit better than Wembley really,” he said.

“Wembley was a massive occasion and had bigger surroundings, but the atmosphere today was something special.”

Clarke had to make a number of fine saves in the first half, but after the break had to be more alert to clear the danger from Swindon crosses rather than direct attempts on goal.

“I was thinking if we could get to half-time without conceding we might be able to hold them off,” he said.

“They had some shots and chances towards the end of the first half, but never really did in the second half as well.

“We had a lot of people knocking us this week and I think we have proved a lot of people wrong and you can see what it meant with everyone staying in the ground afterwards to celebrate with us.”

Clarke was full of praise for the defenders in front of him for keeping chances to a minimum.

And he highlighted the block from Andy Whing in injury time as the icing on the cake.

“Everyone across the back was superb – there were a number of man-of-the-matches out there,” he added.

“To do that against the team at the top of the table is such a great effort.

“The block Whingy made right at the end was absolutely unbelievable.

“Him and Dubes (Michael Duberry) made some fantastic blocks, but I thought that was a certain goal at the end and Whingy’s come out of nowhere and mullered it.”