Raith Rovers tasted a rare Fife derby defeat against Dunfermline on Friday night.
After five consecutive victories in an unbeaten six meetings of the rivals last season, the Stark’s Park side had got used to earning the local bragging rights.
However, Euan Murray’s 16th-minute red card left them up against it and second-half goals from Ewan Otoo and David Wotherspoon earned the Pars a deserved 2-0 victory.
So where does the loss leave Raith and new boss Neill Collins?
Baptism of fire
All eyes are always on a new manager when they arrive at any club, and Collins was no different.
What differences will he bring? What will Collins’ Raith look like compared to that of predecessor Ian Murray?
How will the players react to their new boss in the dugout? And, ultimately, how will results change?
However, any assessment of Collins is pretty nigh impossible so far.
In his debut match in charge against Ayr United, Rovers were fantastic for the opening half an hour and were a joy to watch.
But then that delight turned to despair as they threw away a two-goal lead to exit the SPFL Trust Trophy with a dramatic 3-2 loss.
So, the question was how would they react in the derby after another week with Collins at the helm?
However, Murray’s mindless red card just 15 minutes into Friday’s clash with Dunfermline ripped up the game-plan almost before it got started.
Back-to-back defeats and Raith now sitting bottom of the Championship have undoubtedly upped the challenge Collins faces at Stark’s Park.
But the new boss will be hoping of being able to exert his influence more as the weeks go on.
Seeing red
Collins made the call for ‘fire in the belly and cool minds’ for the Fife derby.
But that fell on deaf ears, judging by Murray’s panicky decision to haul down Chris Kane as the Dunfermline striker threatened to run through on goal.
It was Raith’s second red card in their last three of just five Championship matches so far this season.
Shaun Byrne’s dismissal in the 2-0 defeat to Ayr last month, for handling the ball on the ground, was similarly avoidable.
When Collins is trying to build momentum and when injuries have hampered those attempts, losing players to suspension is costly.
Murray had only just returned after a short injury lay-off to slot into a three-man defence that the previous week had featured midfielder Ross Matthews and full-back Liam Dick.
His latest absence leaves Collins’ options stretched once again.
Given the ugly melee sparked by Byrne and Dylan Easton’s challenge on Lewis McCann against Dunfermline, Rovers could even have had further players missing for the visit of Hamilton Accies next weekend.
The Stark’s Park side only had two sendings off in the league in the whole of last season, and one of them – for Ross Millen – came after the full-time whistle.
Collins will be keen to clamp down on ill-discipline in the face of his other challenges.
Strengthening the squad
Coming in after the transfer window had closed was not ideal timing for the new manager.
However, the loan market was always likely to be Raith’s next port of call after seeing much of their summer business done early with permanent signings.
They still have a couple of weeks to add some freshness to the squad, and the first could arrive this week.
There are obvious gaps to plug in the squad Collins has inherited, which have been laid bare by injuries and suspensions.
But the failure to score a single goal from open play in five league games so far indicates that attacking reinforcements are likely to be on Rovers’ shopping list.
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