Zak Rudden is hopeful a rollercoaster debut for Raith Rovers hinted at better times ahead following the 3-2 loss to Inverness Caley Thistle.
Recruited on loan from Dundee on Friday, Rudden was forced to wait for his bow at Stark’s Park.
It was not delayed too long, however, as the 23-year-old was sent on at the break with the home side trailing 3-1 following a remarkable first-half.
Ahead through Jack Hamilton’s 25th-minute header, Rovers suddenly imploded as it became the Alex Samuel show.
Caley Thistle’s on-loan Ross County marksman bagged himself a scintillating hat-trick in just nine minutes to turn the game on its head and leave Raith requiring yet another comeback.
They stirred themselves after the interval when Rudden’s excellent flick set up Lewis Vaughan for Rovers’ second.
But there was to be no late equaliser, leaving Rudden to look back on his first appearance against the backdrop of defeat.
He said: “There’s a good bunch of lads here and I’m enjoying myself.
An up and down debut for Rudden
“Obviously, the result wasn’t the one we wanted but we’ve just got to turn it around next week.
“I had just come in on Friday, so I didn’t expect to play.
“The boys have been here all season working themselves into the ground. So, I didn’t really expect to start.
“I’ve got to show myself and the gaffer that I can start for him.
“I went up and down when I came on. The first 10, 15 minutes, I was good.
“And then I dipped again, and then I was good. So, I was up and down.
“I think that will come with game-time if I can get it.”
It might have been different had referee Dan McFarlane been convinced of Raith’s appeals for a penalty with time ticking away.
Rudden looked favourite to reach a chipped cross from fellow half-time substitute Dylan Easton.
But the Dens Park attacker appeared to be hauled over by Inverness defender Morgan Boyes and could not get his head to the ball.
Rudden: ‘He just told me to go away’
McFarlane, however, waved away the home side’s desperate pleas for a spot-kick as Rovers slipped a point behind Dundee United at the top of the Championship.
“He’s pulled me with my left shoulder,” insisted Rudden. “He’s got a hold of me and pulled me back.
“Otherwise I’m heading it in.
“I can’t believe the ref can’t see it. I asked him about it at the end but he just told me to go away.
“He says I backed into him, but I don’t know how I could do that when he’s got a hold of my left shoulder.
“It was a great ball in and I would have got there if I wasn’t getting tugged.
“That would have been the equaliser if the ref had opened his eyes.
“We did dominate but we didn’t take our chances.”
Rudden had found himself frozen out of the first-team reckoning at Dundee following the arrival of former Aberdeen man Curtis Main and, on the day of his departure, Michael Mellon from partner club Dundee.
‘That’s what excited me’
Having previously enjoyed nine starts in 14 league appearances for the Dark Blues, the former Dunfermline and Partick Thistle player is convinced he has joined the right team in Raith.
He added: “There’s a really strong bunch here, a lot of very good technical players.
“They create loads of chances and hopefully I can join in with that.
“That’s what excited me about coming here, and the freedom you get to play and express yourself.
“I think that’s what I need just now.”
