Nicky Hogarth on where he has improved most and Falkirk's Championship clean sheet record

The stopper, 23, has played every minute of the William Hill Championship campaign so far, keeping an impressive six clean sheets from his 13 outings so far for the table-toppers.

He has also kept Premier Sports Cup clean sheets against Dundee United, Stenhousemuir and Hearts – and playing regularly after having spells in the team last season has been the big difference.

He said: “I have built on most of my game. I’ve grown in terms of leadership and demanding things at the back. I try to give the guys information out on the pitch.

“On the ball, I have grown in confidence. That comes from playing every week. I am trying things I maybe wouldn’t have tried before.

“I’ve realised that I will make mistakes at some point – we all do. It is about knowing that you will make mistakes but you need to get through them and try things.

“The distribution is the biggest thing for me. I’m much better on the ball now. I am showing my confidence on the pitch and the guys are happy to give me the ball.

“That allows us to start playing again when another team would probably just send the ball long. We can recycle the play.”

The Bairns have secured six shut-outs already in the league, having only conceded eight times, and that is the joint-best in the division alongside Partick Thistle.

The six clean sheets also sees Hogarth close in on his total for the League One season – which sits at seven.

On the Bairns’ defensive excellence so far this campaign, he added: It isn’t just down to me. The ten players in front of me have been excellent. Hendo (Liam Henderson) and Luke (Graham) have been blocking shots and winning headers.

“In the big moments, they have stepped up and left with less saves to make. As a unit, we are growing in confidence. We are building an understanding now.

“I know where the guys like to defend and what they are going to do. I’ve tried to step in a bit in terms of leadership too. We have a really young back four, although Hendo sticks out a little bit!

“The important thing is winning matches but I want as many clean sheets as I can get and the guys at the back will tell you that too.”

Hogarth will be hoping to keep a third clean sheet on the spin when his team travel to second-placed Livingston this Saturday afternoon.

Ahead of that match, which could see Falkirk go nine points clear at the summit, the stopper said: “We are really looking forward to it. The first game was really even. Livingston are a good defensive unit and they restricted us to less chances then we would normally make.

“The goal is to win. A nine-point gap would be another big boost for us. We already have confidence and momentum but that would help us even more.”