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Neill Collins reacts to defeat in first game as new Raith Rovers manager

The Stark's Park men threw away a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 against Ayr United in the SPFL Trust Trophy.

Neill Collins looks on as Raith Rovers lose his first match in charge as manager.
New Raith Rovers manager Neill Collins suffered defeat in his debut match in charge. Image: Paul Devlin / SNS Group.

Neill Collins admits he ‘learned a lot’ about his Raith Rovers side as they succumbed to a stirring second-half comeback from Ayr United in a 3-2 defeat at Somerset Park.

Raith appeared to be comfortable as they surged into a richly-deserved two-goal lead with strikes from Callum Smith and Dylan Easton inside the first 15 minutes.

However, an Anton Dowds double and a winner from George Oakley turned the game on its head and denied Collins a dream start to life as the Rovers boss.

New Raith Rovers boss Neill Collins shakes hands with Ayr United counterpart Scott Brown.
New Raith Rovers boss Neill Collins (right) was left bitterly disappointed at the full-time whistle against Ayr United. Image: Paul Devlin / SNS Group.

“Everything we wanted to see we saw in the first-half,” he said of his debut match in charge.

“In the second-half, I don’t think we started well. Of course, you’re going to expect a reaction [from Ayr] – and I don’t think we handled it great.

“We didn’t set ourselves up well enough to go on and build on what we did in the first-half.

“For all the great positives in the first-half, I learned a lot about the team in the second-half.

“First-half, great. Second-half, a learning lesson.”

‘It looked soft’

Ayr got the boost they needed after the break when Graham Grainger awarded them a penalty for an apparent handball against Raith skipper Ross Matthews.

“For me, it looked soft,” said Collins. “I thought Ross Matthews’ arms were down by his side.

“The handball rule now is ridiculous and I don’t think there was any intention; the ball just hit him and his arms were down by his side.

“But I think it’s so important that me and the team and everyone don’t use that as an excuse.

“Because the second-half performance as a whole wasn’t good enough – but it doesn’t help when you’re under a little bit of pressure and they get a goal out of nothing.

Callum Smith celebrates Raith Rovers' opening goal against Ayr United.
Callum Smith (left) celebrates Raith Rovers’ opening goal against Ayr United. Image: Paul Devlin / SNS Group.

“That lifted them. I thought we handled it well, to a point, but the second and third goals were really poor on our part.”

Dowds’ second and Oakley’s winner came just a minute apart and both originated from their right flank.

It left an immediate sour taste for Collins, but he expects to be pleased with many aspects of Raith’s performance when he reviews it in the cold light of Monday morning.

“I’m really, really disappointed right now,” he added, “because when you lose a two-goal lead, no matter how long you’ve been in the building, that’s never good.

“But it was more than just being 2-0 ahead in the first-half. There were lots of things we had worked on and the players implemented them fantastically well.

Brilliant

“As far as first-half performances go, against a top side, we were brilliant.

“In the second-half, I learned a little bit about them but, again, it’s only been a short period of time.

“I would have been more worried if I hadn’t seen anything I wanted to see and we had lost 3-2.

“There should be plenty for the fans and the players to take away.

“Equally, we need to learn quickly.

George Oakley celebrates completing Ayr United's stunning second-half comeback.
George Oakley completed Ayr United’s stunning second-half comeback. Image: Paul Devlin / SNS Group.

“We’ve got good experience in the squad and they’re honest. They’ve held their hands up for a couple of mistakes, and you can live with that.”

Meanwhile Collins is convinced Rovers should have been awarded their own spot-kick in the first-half when Easton was felled inside the area.

“It was a stone-wall penalty,” he claimed. “There was a foul outside the box, he stayed on his feet and he was fouled again inside the box.

“It would have given us a chance to go 3-0 up, which would have helped.”

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