Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon feels the scrappy 1-0 win over Faroe Islands will prove a huge three points in World Cup qualifying.
The national team were far from their best in Torshavn but emerged victorious, courtesy of Lyndon Dykes’ fourth goal in four games.
It had looked like being a frustrating night for Scotland until Dykes’ late intervention, which maintains a four-point gap in second place ahead of Israel.
Gordon said: “It’s huge. It’s such a big win for us at this stage. We knew it was going to be difficult – it was always going to be a tight game.
“We knew we had to keep things tight at the back and it’s a massive three points for us at this stage.
“We watched their games here; they created a few good chances against Austria so we knew we’d have to defend well at times and we’d be pushed back.
“They’re very well-organised and they gave us a good game. We weren’t at our best but still managed to come through.”
Dykes became the first Scotland striker to score in four consecutive games since Colin Stein in 1969, with Gordon impressed by the QPR man’s contributions for the national team.
He added: “It’s been a while since somebody’s done that. It’s great for us he’s managed to do that at the right end of the campaign, where we’re needing goals.
“He’s had a great record as a striker for us and hopefully he can continue to do that, as it’s not only his goals. It’s the rest of the play he brings to the game – his hold-up play, his flick-ons. He’s a nuisance for defenders.
“He’s a very big part of how we play and hopefully he keeps getting a few goals along the way as well.”
It also marked the second game in a row where Scotland were rescued by a late winner, after Scott McTominay’s heroics against Israel.
Gordon added: “We’re a tight-knit group and work really well together. We never know when we’re beat. We keep fighting to the very end.
“We knew Denmark only got a late goal here and they made it very difficult for us. But we stuck to it and we found a way.
“It wasn’t pretty, we knew it wasn’t our best performance coming off. But it’s three points at the death at the vital stage of the group.”
Victory for Scotland in next month’s trip to Moldova will secure second spot and guarantee a World Cup play-off place. Clarke’s men will host Denmark at Hampden Park in the final group encounter.
Gordon said: “It’s been a good group for us so far. We’ve put ourselves in a very good position. Hopefully we can go finish that off now.
“We’ll have to prepare well for that but we’ve put ourselves in the best possible position. We’ve done what we needed to do in this camp and we’ll look forward to the next one.”