Cove Rangers 2-2 Raith Rovers: Boss Ian Murray describes pain and frustration after Raith concede injury time equaliser

Although the result extends Rovers’ unbeaten run to seven matches, it was a game they should have won.

The Kirkcaldy side’s long-serving forward Lewis Vaughan – being honoured with a testimonial in 2023 after 11 years’ service - dinked the ball over advancing Cove goalkeeper Kyle Gourlay to open the scoring after 29 minutes but, following Ryan Nolan’s handball in the box, Leighton McIntosh netted a penalty three minutes later to level.

A tremendous low Dylan Easton strike from 18 yards regained the lead for Murray's men after 43 minutes and they appeared comfortable until the third minute of injury time in the second-half when Morgyn Neill's close-range header levelled again for the hosts.

“Frustrating,” Murray told Raith TV. “There is disappointment to say the least.

"The players put a lot of effort into that game after a busy week, worked incredibly hard, limited Cove Rangers to pretty much zero chances in the game until the 92nd or 93rd minute.

"It’s a very sore dressing room and very sore people at the moment.

"The players need to look at it (game management).

"There’s only so much you can do on the sidelines. You give them instructions.

"We have an opportunity in the 92nd minute to run the ball into the corner.

"We decide to shoot from 40 yards. It’s a ridiculous decision to make.

"It lets them build from the back again, put a ball forward and it results in a corner kick.

"Then we have to defend the corner kick better which we don’t do.”

The draw leaves Rovers seventh in the league table with 29 points from 22 games, just four points behind fourth-placed Partick Thistle in the final play-off spot, although Thistle have a game in hand.

Murray said that one positive from the trip to Balmoral Stadium was the quality of his sides’ two goals.

He added: “Very good first goal. Really good ball in from Brad (Spencer) to Hammer (Jamie Gullan) who flicks it round the corner first time and it’s a perfect run from Lewis and he dinks the goalie really, really well.

"So that was a really good platform for us. Then we get a really good goal just before half-time. Dylan Easton on his left foot, he should trust his left foot more like I’ve told him for the last few weeks.

"Our goals were great. We worked really hard to move the ball and get in behind them.

"But we give away two scandalous goals from two more setplays.

"We are all going to look at decisions we made during the 90 minutes and what we could do better.”

Rovers are in Scottish Cup fourth round action at East of Scotland premier division outfit Linlithgow Rose this Saturday with kick-off at 3pm.

"It’s a very tricky cup tie and we need to prepare for that but it’s an opportunity to extend our run,” Murray said.

"But at the moment it’s really, really sore, frustrating and we’re hurt badly.”