Ayr United 3-2 Raith Rovers: Hosts' comeback from 2-0 down ends Raith's SPFL Trust Trophy campaign

Yet Collins’ reign had earlier got off to an impressive start in this third round tie when Callum Smith’s left-footed shot put Rovers 1-0 up after 11 minutes.

And that advantage was increased to a two-goal margin within four minutes when Dylan Easton’s right-footer was sent into the corner of the Ayr net after Lewis Gibson’s set-up play.

Ayr did force some pressure at this point with away keeper Kevin Dabrowski saving from a Paddy Reading shot, a George Oakley header and a Jay Henderson strike, before Oakley’s attempt following a corner missed narrowly.

Smith and Josh Mullin had unsuccessful goal efforts for the away side so it remained 2-0 for the Kirkcaldy men at the interval.

But the second half was to prove to be a very sore one for Raith, who lost a goal within three minutes of the restart when Ayr won a penalty for Ross Matthews’ handball and the resultant spot kick was converted by Anton Dowds.

A header from Oakley and a shot from Marco Rus both worried the Raith goal without being successful, before the Championship leaders’ second half domination was rewarded when Dowds scored from close range after a Dylan Watret pass.

Suddenly it was game on at 2-2 after 69 minutes and this swiftly became 3-2 in Scott Brown’s side’s favour when, within a minute, Oakley shot home from inside the box after Ben Dempsey’s assist.

Having shot just too high on 85 minutes, Ayr sub Jake Hastie then brought the best out of Dabrowski with an effort from a difficult angle within a minute.

Raith sub Lewis Vaughan came close with a free-kick before Raith’s final chance for salvation was thwarted when Paul Hanlon’s headed goal attempt was blocked.

Gaffer Collins told Raith TV post match: “Ultimately we came here to win. By hook or by crook you want to win and get through in the cup.

"We wanted to give our fans a victory because we know that we’ve not won enough at the start of the season.

"But in the short time we’ve been here I think the first half gives us a lot of positivity about the potential but also a lot of learning in the second half about how you turn these great performances into a win.

"That’s the most frustrating thing. When you play like that in the first half you want to turn it into a victory and we didn’t do that.

"I think Ayr United picked it up, made it difficult, played on the front foot, were more aggressive and I don’t think we made good enough decisions, so it’s twofold.

"They stepped it up and I don’t think we played with the same positive decisiveness.

"We should have been playing forward a little bit quicker, playing forward earlier, a bit of variety.

"Maybe that comes a little bit from not working together although I think some of the experienced players know they should have made better decisions.”

Ayr United: Stone, Reading, McAllister, Stanger, Watret, Howley (McKenzie 63), Rus (Hastie 82), Dempsey, Henderson (Walker 87), Oakley, Dowds.​

Subs not used: Hislop, McIntyre, Murphy, Tomlinson.

Raith Rovers: Dabrowski, Dick, Hanlon, Matthews, Stevenson, Easton (Stanton 64), Byrne, Mullin (Vaughan 75), Gibson (Freeman 64), Smith, Jamieson (Connolly 82).

Subs not used: McNeil, Montagu, Nicholson.