Dunfermline manager James McPake got the performance he wanted from his players, even if the result was lacking again.
The Pars have now lost three on the spin but were on top for large parts of both halves of this latest Fife derby and had the better of the chances.
Just as it looked like the sides would take a point each, Raith Rovers midfielder Sam Stanton put the ball into the far bottom in the 93rd minute to win the game.
It was a harsh end to the game and tempers flared just before the full-time whistle, then again after it.
Rovers manager Ian Murray and Dunfermline assistant Dave Mckay were both booked in the aftermath.
James McPake: Dunfermline players gutted
“Flip it round, would we have celebrated in that way? Probably,” said McPake. “But maybe on the last day of the season, certainly not at this early stage.
“They’ve won the game, they’re in a derby. Good luck to them but I’d certainly be disappointed in my staff if that was the way they behaved.
“I’m gutted for the players, if I’m honest. Every defeat’s hard to take but when you throw in everything it was as well – a derby and the performance.
“We asked the players for a performance. We know the last two weeks have been really poor and nowhere near good enough. “We can’t say that about today.
“But when you have four or five chances, you need to – or you hope to – take a couple of them.
Rhys Breen to be assessed
“I’ll be honest, we could have – not been out of sight – but we could have had a comfortable lead in the game.
“But Ayr United had the same last week against us and they didn’t take their chances, and we were in the game to the very end.
“In terms of the performance, it was great but I’m gutted for that group of players.”
Rhys Breen will have a scan on his hamstring after he was taken off injured in the second half, said McPake.
Benedictus “should be fine” despite being replaced at half-time after his legs began to seize up.
Conversation