'It would have been easy for us to go on and lose' - Raith Rovers match-winner Scott Brown praises team's character in digging out 3-2 win over Ayr United

A topsy-turvy Championship clash at Stark’s Park on Saturday saw Rovers lead 2-0 at the interval thanks to goals by Kyle Connell and Sam Stanton.

Although Ayr hit back to level at 2-2 thanks to strikes by Brad Young and Andy Murdoch, Brown’s 83rd minute volley sealed the three points for the Kirkcaldy outfit.

“It was obviously a really proud moment for me to get the first goal for the club and even more special that it was the winner,” Brown said. “More importantly the team got the three points because I think that’s what we deserved on the day.

"First-half we played really well and two-nil up at half-time we knew that they were going to come out second-half and they got the goal early on.

"Two-nil is a kind of funny lead in football.

“They were coming out with nothing really to lose and as soon as they got the goal their tails were up a wee bit.

"But we all showed really good character to come back and make sure we managed to get the three points after that.

"It would have been easy for us to go on and lose the game 3-2 rather than won 3-2. It shows the strength of character we’ve got in the dressing room.”

Brown, 27, whose youth career started at Clyde and Bradford City, had three years at St Johnstone between 2013 and 2016 before a six-year spell at Peterhead. He joined Raith on a two-year deal this summer.

"I’ve obviously played in the SPL and the Championship before,” he said. “But I think this is the longest string of games I’ve had at this level.

"The boys in the changing room are a step up which is obviously a good thing for me playing alongside these guys.

"I’m really enjoying it so far and hopefully we can keep putting the points on the board.

"We know that every team in the Championship has got quality and it is obviously difficult when teams can beat everyone.

"You know that you need to be on your game every week and if you are even 10% off your game then chances are you’re going to get beaten."

Brown and his Raith mates travel to Cove Rangers for a third round Challenge Cup tie this Saturday.

"I listen to the boys’ stories about how they won it last year and I get a bit of stick,” Brown said. “I want to do well this year when I’m the newbie if you like.

"Hopefully we can obviously put up a good showing against Cove and get through to the next round.”

It’s Raith’s second visit this season to last term’s League 1 champions, with Cove having beaten Ian Murray’s side 2-0 in the opening game of the 2022-2023 Championship campaign.

Brown added: “I would say that we 100% let ourselves down on that day.

"We didn’t perform to the levels that we have done when we’ve picked up the three points.

"It’s always difficult when you’ve got a new manager and new players – I’m one of them myself – to come in and hit the ground running with all the changes.

"I feel like our level has picked up since then but we want to show on Saturday that the first game of the season was a one off and we can go and prove we are the better team.”

Rovers are currently sixth in the league table with nine points from seven games and Brown revealed that the Stark’s Park men want to earn a promotion play-off berth this season.

"That is obviously what everyone at the club’s aiming for,” he said. “I think that every club in the league will be thinking the same thing that the play-offs is an achievable goal.

"I look around the dressing room and look at the quality players we have and don’t see why that shouldn’t be the goal for this season.

"I think it was obviously big getting the three points on Saturday and shutting the gap on the top of the table.

"It’s obviously given us a bit of confidence knowing that we can beat the team that was top."