Raith Rovers manager Grant Murray admits he did not foresee the manner of his side’s defeat at Falkirk but has challenged them to get back on track this weekend.
The Kirkcaldy club headed to the Falkirk Stadium in buoyant mood on the back of their Scottish Cup win at Dundee but were effectively blown away by the Bairns in the first 50 minutes, with the concession of three goals giving them a mountain to climb to take anything from the game.
A goal by Craig Sibbald after just four minutes set the tone and strikes by Conor McGrandles and Stephen Kingsley followed on 25 and 51 minutes, with Greig Spence’s goal 17 minutes before time proving to be little more than a consolation.
It was a first-half display which probably left Murray puzzled, although he was happier with the character his team showed in the second as they prepare for this weekend’s home game with Dumbarton.
“We went there on the back of a good win up at Dundee and we were confident we could go and do something against them,” he said.
“We’ve done well against them so far this season but, as every manager in the league says, it’s vital to get a good start.
“It doesn’t always win you games but for a good percentage of them it does, and when you get ahead as early as they did it gives them a massive lift.
“It’s a bit of a sucker punch to ourselves. But on the flip side of it, when you lose a goal so early you have still got 85 minutes to try and get yourself back into it.
“We didn’t, they get a second, and then obviously it becomes harder after that.
“I think if we had got a goal back before half-time when the keeper had a double save and there was one stopped on the line, that would have given us a wee lift at half-time.
“We didn’t but we tried to rally a bit at the second half and I thought we started the second half well.
“But we lose another goal from a set-piece and then you are 3-0 down at the point, so it’s a big ask to come back in a game like that.”
Rovers are still waiting on a definitive prognosis on Paul Watson’s broken foot, although it looks very much like four weeks on the sidelines for the defender will be about right.
Murray said: “Four weeks would be great. It’s disappointing because he’s done great since he came in.
“He was unfortunate because he missed out after the Annan game because he picked up an injury following a bad tackle, and he was disappointed himself with that.
“But he’s a fit boy and he got back as quick as he could.”