Neill Collins is thrilled to have got his first win as Raith Rovers manager after a tense 1-0 victory over Falkirk.
Jack Hamilton’s 12th-minute penalty was enough to separate the sides and end the Bairns’ 43-game unbeaten run in the league stretching back 17 months.
It meant defeat for former Raith boss John McGlynn and assistant Paul Smith on their return to Stark’s Park, as well as ex-Rovers players Sean Mackie, Ethan Ross, Brad Spencer and Dylan Tait.
The home defence was put under increasing pressure in the final 20 minutes. But, unlike their dramatic late disappointment in last week’s 3-3 draw with Hamilton Accies, they stood firm.
After the mishaps of the 3-2 defeat to Ayr United and a Fife derby defeat to Dunfermline that opened his tenure at Raith, Collins admits the victory tasted sweet.
“I had maybe three or four months out of work,” said the former Barnsley manager. “Not long in the grand scheme of things, but it feels like a long time.
“Then we went to Ayr and in the first-half I was blown away by how well we played.
“And then, after losing a two-goal lead, I saw my mum and dad after the game and I said, ‘why did I come back into this?.
“It feels like it’s been a bit like that.
“Fifteen minutes into the Dunfermline game, we get a man sent-off. And then against Hamilton we lose a penalty after something like 30 seconds.
‘They got their reward’
“Listen, that’s football. More than most sports, it’s ruthless and it’s tough.
“But I’m so pleased to get the first win – for everyone.
“I’ve been living here in Kirkcaldy and everyone you speak to you know they just want the team to do well.
“So, I’m really pleased to get my first win and I’m pleased for the players. I’m glad they got their reward today with the three points.”
It was a game of few goalmouth opportunities. In fact the bookings – nine in total – outnumbered chances created.
Tait and Mackie should have done better with second-half headers for Falkirk and Raith survived a 90th-minute scramble in the box.
“It becomes a mental game as much as anything,” added Collins who welcomed skipper Scott Brown’s return as a second-half substitute. “When you want it so much it tends to become a bit of a fear thing.
“The centre-backs and the defence were excellent.”
Dylan Easton was the man who won the spot-kick, robbing Tait of possession before playing a give-and-go with Hamilton. He then enticed Liam Henderson into a daft challenge in the box.
The fans’ favourite was superb throughout and won special praise – along with another stalwart – from Collins after the full-time whistle.
Brilliant
“Dylan has been brilliant,” he said. “He’s the kind of player I really enjoy working with.
“He can create, he can secure the ball, he can go by people and he can score.
“Equally, he covers a lot of distance and has taken on board what we want to do against the ball, because we can’t carry any passengers.
“But I think you can go through the team. Ross Matthews won so many tackles, headers, duels and pressed well. I thought it was a big performance from him.
“But, again, it was very much a collective performance.”
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