'We were in total control': Raith Rovers boss Barry Robson bemoans errors in 3-3 draw at Greenock Morton
Raith Rovers manager Barry Robson cut a frustrated figure when speaking after Tuesday night’s ‘rollercoaster ride’ of a 3-3 William Hill Championship draw against Greenock Morton at Cappielow.
Seemingly cruising at 2-0 up thanks to Jamie Gullan’s double, Rovers then went 3-2 down to Morton goals by Nathan Shaw, Cameron Blues and Tomi Adeloye. But Aidan Connolly rescued a point with an injury time equaliser, which gaffer Robson thought was the least his team deserved after a pulsating 90 minutes.
“I wasn’t pleased with the players there,” the ex-Aberdeen manager told Raith TV post match. “I let them know that. I think to come down here and perfom so well for the first 30 minutes, 35 minutes.
"Everything we worked on, everything we did, pressing so well, go two goals up, in total control.
"It was as well as we’ve played, especially on a pitch like that. And I thought: ‘Yeah, we’re really at it’.
"And then, I know you can lose goals. But I think when you watch the goal back I think there’s about three or four mistakes. And I said to the players: ‘You need to stop them, because you should be coming in here cruising at 2-0, performing really well by the way’.
"The fans were really excited, we were playing some really good stuff and then the mistakes.
"That’s the bit we needed to cut out in the first half.
"I’ve been in to see the team and I was angry.
"They give you a lot, they really do. They’ve been really good and they’ve worked ever so hard.
"It’s not that, it’s just the mistakes. Morton never had to do anything today.
"The goals we scored, we had to work hard, from the training ground, it’s what we do.
"Morton’s goals were a setplay, one where the guy just runs through the middle and mistakes from us.
"We came away, played so well and didn’t come away with three points. That was my frustration.
"The players are angry as well because this is a game we shouldn’t have been losing after the first half performance.”
The result leaves sixth-placed Rovers on 39 points from 30 matches, two points adrift of Dougie Imrie’s Morton in fifth.
Both these sides have aspirations of finishing fourth to sneak into the Scottish Premiership play-offs, but fourth-placed Partick Thistle are in pole position for this as they are on 45 points with just six games remaining.
Raith continue their league campaign in a 3pm kick-off at Hamilton Accies this Saturday.
Robson added: "Morton have Partick at home this weekend and we’ve got a game against Hamilton, a really difficult game.
"Hamilton are a really hard team to play against. We’ve had a lot of games lately, more than Hamilton, we’re catching up.
"We had to take Lewis Vaughan off his sick bed because he’s been ill the last six days and only trained one session so hopefully he’ll be fine after the game tonight.
"And we’ll have Finlay Pollock back which will give us a bit more speed at the top end of the pitch.”