Goalkeepers are judged on their mistakes and the saves they shouldn’t — but somehow do — make.

Toronto FC’s Clint Irwin has been nearly flawless through the first five games of the season, producing a plethora of the aforementioned big-time stops.

“He’s not the guy in the off-season who got the headlines when we picked him up,” TFC coach Greg Vanney reminded reporters following Saturday night’s 1-1 draw in New England. “For us, though, it was one of the most important pickups.”

Guys like Drew Moor and Steven Beitashour dominated free-agency talk when fans demanded TFC’s top brass find defensive solutions.

Little did they know Irwin would play such a prominent role in helping the Reds average a respectable point-per-game pace on the road through the first month of the season.

“He’s a very stable figure back there,” Vanney said. “His distribution has been solid. He has been great in every way.

“He never gets over emotional in either direction and it’s really stabilizing for our back line to know he’s back there.”

Win, lose or draw, Irwin’s demeanor remains the same post-game — few smiles, monotone responses, his expression never changes.

“It’s important to do your job out there and contribute in any way possible,” Irwin said. “I don’t think my confidence is any higher or lower than it normally is.

“Any way I can contribute as a goalkeeper, that’s all I’m looking to do. When you come on the road you have to make a few big saves to win a game. That’s just the expectation.”

He was tested early in Saturday’s game when New England’s Lee Nguyen slipped in alone on goal and looked destined to score.

Quick off his line, Irwin made himself big to deny what would have been a devastating second-minute opener.

“It’s a big confidence boost,” veteran centre back Moor said of having Irwin behind him. “I’ve played with him for four seasons.

“Having him back there is a sigh of relief for so many guys who are playing in front of him.”

Moor added: “He has a tendency (to make big saves).”

It’s hard to find any faults in Irwin’s game this season. After Sebastian Giovinco, he has been Toronto’s best player through the first five weekends.

“We have a lot of faith in him and he’s answered the bell,” Vanney said. “We’re pleased to have him.”

THE BIG CALLS

The Reds can’t seem to avoid dubious refereeing.

On Saturday, though, referee Edvin Jurisevic ruled in TFC’s favour.

Try as we might, we can’t escape this talking point — especially when you consider the refereeing crew bungled five major decisions Saturday night.

Here they are, in order:

1)Toronto FC’s Giovinco couldn’t believe he wasn’t awarded a penalty midway through the first half. Replays showed New England’s Gershon Koffie undoubtedly clipped him inside the penalty area.

The trip was subtle, but as Vanney said post-game, it’s highly unlikely Giovinco would lurch forward and miss the frame from 10 metres if he wasn’t impeded. We agree. It should have been penalty.

2)Justin Morrow should have been sent off in the 58th minute, the start of a bizarre sequence of events. Morrow’s two-footed tackle in midfield was late and, in our opinion, endangered the safety of an opponent.

Jurisevic eventually issued Morrow a yellow card after playing advantage. The colour of that card undoubtedly should have been different.

3)New England’s Teal Bunbury was denied a penalty in the 58th minute after Moor tripped him up inside the penalty area. There wasn’t much debate post-game. Most agreed a penalty likely should have been awarded.

4)When New England’s Charlie Davies was chopped down in the box my Michael Bradley in the first minute of second half stoppage-time, TFC’s bench held its breath. If that’s not a penalty, we don’t know what is.

5)The Revolution appeared to score a good goal in the final minute of play, only to see the far side assistant had awarded TFC a goal kick. Although replays showed the ball might have crossed the goal line, there’s no chance the linesman got a clean look at the play. He was two yards away from the position he would have needed to be in to accurately rule on the play.

THE OTHER ANT

If Giovinco’s Atomic, ex-TFC attacker Joao Plata is the next best ant.

Plata, all 5-foot-2 of him, is arguably the most in-form player in MLS.

He scored Real Salt Lake’s game-winner Saturday night in a 1-0 win over Colorado, adding to his four goals and three assists on the season.

Which had us thinking ...

Why did Toronto FC get rid of him in the first place?

Ex-TFC manager Paul Mariner — and New England TV analyst — told the Toronto Sun the Reds traded him to Real Salt Lake in 2013 due to “needs and numbers.”

“People didn’t want to take a chance on him,” Mariner said of Plata, who the Reds drafted 49th overall in 2011. “We wanted to take a chance on him. We saw what he had.

“He was risky, but we saw he had something in him, he had something that nobody else in our academy had — a great first touch, pace, he could score goals.

Things came to a head in 2012 when Plata bizarrely packed up his things following a TFC match and said goodbye to his teammates in the dressing room. He told media he was being loaned out. He wasn’t seen again.

“He came from Ecuador into a massive metropolis like Toronto,” Mariner said. “That’s difficult for anybody. For him to lose his marbles now and again was perfectly fine.

“There’s no doubt about his ability.”