Reaction

This was a game for large periods “The Wasps” played attractive football and they would have been disappointed not to have taken at least one of them in the first half, but goals change games. It was important for “The Wasps” not to conceed an early goal as they had done in past two league games, but it took a spectacular goal to open the scoring for the home side and five minutes later they scored the crucial second to take a hold in the game. The end result looks cruel on Danny Lennon’s side but they will know themselves it could have been so much different if they had scored the crucial opening goal.

DANNY LENNON AT STARKS PARK

If the half time whistle had been the full time whistle I would be a very happy chap at this time, but the two halves were a totally different contrast, a lot of pleasing stuff particularly in the first half, we looked compact, we defended as a team, we broke as a team, we passed the ball well and created good opportunities. Likewise did Raith Rovers, I thought it was quite an open and exciting game in the first half, but in the second half it took a wonderful goal, you can actually see as that ball goes in, the mentality then changed and we stopped doing all the good things which got us success in the first half and we went longer and more direct and that put pressure upon us that we got deeper and deeper and gave a quality Raith Rovers side time on the ball. It’s important that we once again learn from that, I think you can always learn in any defeat, but what we have to do is rise above that, sometimes you just have to hold your hand up and say what a wonderful strike that was, and you can do absolutely nothing about it, you can’t let a goal like that change your mentality, if we had continued to play in the manner we did in the first half we would have still caused Raith Rovers one or two problems, so it is very difficult, the second and third goal, one from a set play which always is bad to lose and the third one we drop runners, which again is very basic, although we were pleased with the first half performance, overall we have got to prove that we can do both sides of the game as well as we did in the first half for the full ninety minutes.

A lot of people have us down for finishing in the bottom of the table, so we are so far proving these people correct but we will certainly take that challenge and go out there and prove that’s not the case, I certainly believe we have a good balance and that was evident in our first half performance but what we have to do is bring these qualities for a full ninety minutes and we will then give ourselves a good platform but we need to make sure we do the basics right, we do not drop runners, very basic things have cost us severely. The goal gave Raith Rovers a massive lift and we have not had that the last couple of weeks, we need to make sure that the quality of chances that we did create especially in the first half we have to be ruthless in front of goal and ready to take these chances.

I saw a change in the mentality when the first goal went in and that was my message to the players, we needed to let the game settle down again before we lost the second goal so quickly thereafter. When the second goal goes in it became more difficult but if we had got one back we would have put them back on the back foot but losing the third it was game over.

The frustrating thing was when we were playing well we needed to get in front, we created good opportunities and had good possession but we failed to hit the net, what was pleasing is the way we created more clear cut chances that we did against Elgin City, but I want to stick with the positives as much as we have got to learn and we move forward, they are a hard working group of players , they will come in on Tuesday and they will give absolutely everything again but we have to make sure we play for the full ninety minutes. Points are important and that’s what keeps you in this league but I have asked the players to go home tonight and look at the good things we did in the game and learn from the mistakes and if they do that and show the same appetite and hunger and belief they will be ok and they will give every team in this league, perhaps outside Rangers, they will give every single team problems if they continue to play like they can and stick by it for the full ninety minutes.