Raith Rovers boss Barry Robson blasts 'unacceptable' end to shock East Kilbride loss
After watching Raith Rovers capitulate from being 2-1 up after 89 minutes to lose 4-2 at home to League Two East Kilbride via a John Robertson hat-trick in Tuesday night’s home Premier Sports Cup Group F encounter, boss Barry Robson hit out at the “criminal” and “unacceptable” aspects within his side’s performance.
After dominating the first half but missing a few gilt-edged chances, Raith went in at half-time trailing to Jack Healy’s stunning strike into the top corner for East Kilbride.
Although the hosts then turned it around with headed goals by Jai Rowe and Lewis Vaughan, an incredible late Raith collapse saw Robertson shoot home from the edge of the box to level, before netting a penalty and then completing his treble following a breakaway.
Robson told Raith TV post match: “I think, anybody who watched that game there tonight, the first bit that was criminal for us was we should be four or five up at half-time and we all know that.
"So, the sharpness at the top end of the pitch, we've got to score more goals and obviously the defending side, when we lose those three goals at the end.
"That's the frustration part for me.
"That's both ends of the pitch where realistically we should be in total control of that game, which we were for large periods.
"My surprise was the chances we missed.
"We're not talking about little chances here, we're talking clear cut as they come.
"Now, if we're sitting at three or four nil up at half-time, it's probably the right score.
"What I won't accept, when you're two one up and you've seen the way this team plays, the same mentality that we've got as a team, to make them errors in the last three minutes of the game to lose three goals is, first and foremost, not like us, but something we don't accept.
"Listen, no one gets a pass just because we know it's speaking about pre-season.
"No, our players are better than that and they know that and I've told them that.
"It's not acceptable to lose that goals at that time.”
Robson praised Mick Kennedy’s East Kilbride side for their fine display in winning at Stark’s Park, saying: “Take nothing away from East Kilbride.
"They've come here and won the game and well done.
"Brilliant for their coaching staff and their players. You deserved it.
"They rode their luck at times, which they'll need to do to come here.
"But I thought the manager, the coaching staff, the players did well tonight and they deserved their win.We know what we should have been doing better.
"But our boys know, they've been told in no uncertain terms at half-time that the finishing needs to be better and also defensively.
"So I know a lot of people turn around and say you get a game like this in pre-season, but you can't afford to have that game when we're in the League Cup.
“You come from that performance at the weekend when they're banging the goals in, to all of a sudden, we probably made more chances here today than we did against Elgin, to be fair.
"Sometimes in football, you get games like that.”
The defeat leaves Robson’s team on three points from two Group F matches, on top on goal difference from St Johnstone and Inverness Caledonian Thistle who both have a game in hand.
Raith continue their campaign at St Johnstone next Tuesday, July 22 in a 7.45pm kick-off before finishing at home to Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Saturday, July 26 in a 3pm kick-off.
“Now we need to go and beat St Johnstone,” Robson added.
The eight group winners and three best runners-up progress to the second round, where they will be joined by the five clubs competing in European competitions - Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hibernian and Dundee United.
The seeded teams in the last 16 will be the five European representatives and the three group winners with the best records.
The tournament reverts to a traditional knock-out format from the second round onwards, with ties decided by extra-time and penalties if the scores are level after 90 minutes.