Alex Smithies used to have a full-proof method of saving spot-kicks - and then he discovered the Championship.

As an England U17, the QPR keeper worked out a perfect mind game by pointing left to the kicker and diving the same way.

Smithies deduced takers took on the double bluff and lost - five times in a row.

He tried the same trick on graduation to the Championship with Huddersfield and found out seniors were more savvy.

“I got into the first team at Huddersfield - and it didn’t work,” he said.

“And since, I’ve tried all sorts, but I’m not going to say what I do now.

“Everyone’s different; I’ve tried pointing in one direction; looking at videos; I went through a spell in the England youth games where I pointed left and dived left. They always wanted to beat me in the way I was going and I saved five in a row.”

Penalty king: England keeper Alex Smithies saves for the U17s

But the man boasting three clean sheets out of the last four and no defeats says he fears the return to the pink shirt he wore at Huddersfield.

The theory among coaches was it made keepers look bigger - and new recruit Matt Ingrams heard the same theory when he was at Wycombe.

Both reckon they will get far more out of Rob Green’s tuition now the England keeper has been told he will see out his QPR contract on the sidelines.

Smithies added: “I speak to Rob daily and he discuss things daily. We always look at videos and discuss, with the keeper coach as well as Rob to try and improve.

Fulham have been awarded only one penalty this season, inevitably taken and converted by leading scorer Ross McCormack.

But if the Scotland international hits right and Smithies goes the same way - the keeper expects the number to stay at one.

He explained: “If the player puts the ball in the top corner or in the corner - they’re not saveable. But if I’ve gone the right way I expect to save it and am unhappy if I don’t.”

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