Kevin Dabrowski believes he has matured and improved as a goalkeeper following a challenging start to the season with Raith Rovers.
The 26-year-old became a firm fans’ favourite at Stark’s Park last season following his arrival from Hibernian.
Some fantastic saves and penalty-kick heroics helped create a quick bond with the Kirkcaldy side’s support.
But a mistake in the home defeat to Livingston in August and a couple of other shaky moments have tested Dabrowski in a difficult campaign.
Back-to-back clean sheets, taking Raith’s record to four in 12 league games, have helped boost confidence, however.
And the Pole is convinced he has learned lessons and emerged a better player.
“It’s been a new experience for me,” Dabrowski told Courier Sport of a difficult start to the season. “Because, you see, the last season was, for me, full of success. Lots of wins, late winning goals, late winning saves.
“And this season we’ve had a couple of games where that wasn’t the case.
“But, actually, I’m glad it happened because it has helped me to mature more as a goalkeeper.
‘Learn from the experience’
“It didn’t bother me at all or faze me. Because I tried to learn from the experience.
“And I feel the way that I approached it has made me even stronger as a goalkeeper, in terms of my mentality.
“Because I showed to everyone that it didn’t affect me at all.”
Frustration had been building at Raith after improving performances failed to yield tangible rewards.
However, consecutive victories for the first time this season, over Airdrie and Ayr United, have lightened the gloom and given hope for the coming weeks and months.
“You can’t win every single game,” added Dabrowski. “There are some moments when you just need to stick together and, for me, being a big character, I’ll always be there for the boys.
“That’s a great example that, sometimes, if the thing doesn’t go your way, it’s life. It can’t be perfect every single time.
“We just need to stay together, stick together and keep going and working for that moment.”
Meanwhile, Dabrowski is one of a number of Rovers players who are out of contract at the end of the current campaign.
“When the time comes, when we start getting good results and being close to the end of the season, hopefully being up near the top of the league,” he said, “then I’m sure the conversations will start.”
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