Raith Rovers: Dougie Imrie's 'bitter disappointment' as holders knocked out of KDM Evolution Trophy at Hamilton Accies
Seven months on from memorably winning last season’s KDM Evolution Trophy with a 4-1 final romp over Inverness Caledonian Thistle at Firhill, William Hill Championship title challengers Raith Rovers exited the tournament at their first hurdle at League One high flyers Hamilton Accies on Tuesday evening.
The holders – who rested goalkeeper Josh Rae, striker George Oakley and defender Jack Baird – trailed to a scrappy 12th-minute Dominic Shiels opener after Luke Armstrong had saved Kyle Macdonald’s initial effort in front of 360 fans at New Douglas Park.
But Scott Tiffoney’s calm finish after a long Callum Fordyce ball forward levelled matters for Raith just before half-time and secured a penalty shootout which was ultimately decided when Hamilton custodian Josh Lane saved from Tiffoney as the hosts prevailed 5-3 on spot-kicks.
“I’m bitterly disappointed to be out the cup,” Imrie told Raith TV post match. “As the holders you want to come and show people why you’re the holders but when you don’t take the opportunities that we had tonight you’re always susceptible to losing the game.
"Albeit we drew and similar to the league cup here, lost on penalties. I think we had enough chances to win the game in the 90 minutes, but poor finishing and good goalkeeping from the young lad Lane for Hamilton tonight, that’s the story of the game for me.
"We lose a poor goal as well, a switch of play, we don’t track the guy at the back post. We’ve got two or three opportunities to do that and we just switch off and leave him.
"Luke makes a good save and the young lad’s there at the back post to put it away.
"We had two or three opportunities in the first half but again we don’t test the goalkeeper, shots going over the bar from 12, 15 yards. You should just put your foot through it, hit it low and hard, the keeper makes a save or it goes in the corner, but we never tested their keeper enough.
"Then we got our goal just on half-time, probably one of the only times in the first half we get in behind.
"Tiff’s second goal in two games for us. I would expect him to go and finish in that position and he does that.
"In the second half we didn’t test the goalkeeper enough and when we did the kid came up with good saves.
"We know we’ve let ourselves down in terms of the performamce. I didn’t think we moved the ball quick enough, especially them playing a five. The wide areas for our full-backs were the out ball the whole game.
"But with all due respect the pitch doesn’t allow you to do that, it’s pretty bobbly and there’s not much give on it.
"That’s no excuse, you’ve got to give credit to Daz (manager Darian MacKinnon) and his Hamilton staff. They had a game plan, they’ve got to penalties and they’ve won on penalties again.”
When asked to explain the absence of 30-year-old English striker Oakley, in fine form having hit a hat-trick in last Saturday’s 4-0 league victory at Arbroath, Imrie added: “I gave George a rest, we’ve got a big game on Friday. We’re asking the same players to go three 90 minutes in six days, it’s a tough ask so I tried to get one or two out and one or two in.”