Brittain proud of Ross County Colts after agonising defeat to Raith Rovers
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Richie Brittain admits Tuesday’s defeat to Raith Rovers in the Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Challenge Cup was difficult to take.
His Ross County Colts team were 2-0 down at the half-time interval, but fought back magnificently to level the scores at 2-2.
For a long time it looked like there would only be one winner as the young Staggies peppered the Raith goal with shots, but they could not find the breakthrough.
That spell of dominance would be undone in the 89th minute when Raith scored with their only shot of the second half to steal the win.
“It was a tough one to take, but ultimately that’s football at this level,” Brittain admitted.
“I said to the players, be proud of that performance, because they were great.
“When you manage to contain a full-time team at the top end of League One, you know you’ve done a good job.
“Football is a cruel game, it only takes good players half a yard of space to find the back of the net, and that’s what the boy has done. We can’t complain in that respect, but ultimately we’re out of the cup.”
County’s youngsters, boosted by the inclusion of overage players Davis Keillor-Dunn and Harry Paton in the starting line-up, showed that they could pose a threat early on in the match.
James Wallace, Mark Gallagher and Davis Keillor-Dunn all went close in the first half.
But two goalkeeping errors from Tommy Dixon-Hodge would give Raith the advantage against the run of play.
First he rushed out to meet a clearance, only for Lewis Allan to take the ball round him and find the net.
A couple of minutes later, Allan ran into the box and shot towards the bottom corner, which somehow found it’s way under the keeper and in.
The Staggies would battle back in the second half, with Keillor-Dunn scoring with a cool backheel from close range.
The winger then smacked the bar, with Gallagher and Josh Reid forcing more good saves from Raith’s keeper, before Keillor-Dunn’s free kick was spilled into Gallagher’s path for a tap in to make it 2-2.
But it was heartbreak for the Colts when Ross Matthews scored a last-minute winner.
