SCOTT Dann believes Saturday’s wonder strike was the best goal of his career – but insists it is the clean sheets that really matter.

Rovers’ central defender volleyed his side into a 2-0 lead in the 3-0 win at Derby County as he gained ground on Grant Hanley in their own personal scoring duel.

But, while both believe adding goals is important, Dann admits it is keeping them out at the other end that they really judge themselves on. Dann’s strike takes his tally to two for the season, one behind Hanley, as they look to finish top of the defensive charts.

He said: “It was a good goal but the most pleasing thing was the clean sheet. The more clean sheets we can keep, the better we can do. That was a big plus.

“The corner got cleared out, Danny (Murphy) has seen me and it just sat up and I thought why not and it flew in the top corner. I don’t think I have scored a better goal.

“Grant has been giving me a bit of banter because he has scored three and was two ahead. It was nice to get on the score sheet.

“That is just a bit of banter but the main thing for us is clean sheets. We need to keep that going and the more we can get the more games we are going to win.

“I think when you play with a partner you get your understandings.

“There has been chopping and changing but now we have played the last 10 or 12 games together, you can see that understanding growing.”

Dann believed Tuesday night’s disappointment in the draw with Brighton acted as a trigger for Saturday’s dominant display, after claiming hard work is the key ingredient.

He said: “The new manager has new ideas and the biggest thing he wants from us is for everyone to put a shift in, work their socks off from the first minute to the last and obviously he has us playing disciplined.

“With different managers, you get different ideas and he has been really good coming in. He knows exactly what he wants and he knows exactly how to get it.

“It showed. Even the lads who came on, everyone wanted to work hard and get the win. We are disappointed with where we are in the league.

“With the new manager coming in it has given us a bit of a boost.”