Greig Spence felt he proved his worth after he climbed off the bench to score the double that earned Raith Rovers their first league win since December 14.
The striker replaced Gordon Smith five minutes after half-time with the Kirkcaldy side trailing 1-0 to basement boys Greenock Morton.
Spence levelled the match from the penalty spot in the 68th minute, before firing home the crucial winner 10 minutes from time.
“I’ve been itching to get on the park for weeks,” Spence said.
Spence hadn’t scored for three months but insisted he felt no pressure as he stepped up to take Rovers’ spot kick.
“I’m always confident with penalties,” he said. “It’s just me against a stupid goalie so I always fancy my chances. I know I can hit the back of the net so I wasn’t giving the ball up.”
Raith boss Grant Murray was delighted with Spence’s contribution, but refused to take credit for making the early substitution. “The players take credit for it,” he insisted.
“Greig has probably been frustrated that he’s not been involved as much as he wanted to be in the last few weeks. At the end of the day, it’s up to players to go out and prove me wrong when they’re not in the team,
so I’m delighted for him.”
Rovers were under severe pressure to end their 10-game winless run at home to a Morton side cast adrift at the foot of the Championship.
But it was the visitors who took the lead in the 18th minute when striker Rowan Vine fired a stunning volley into the top corner from 16 yards after good set-up work by Archie Campbell.
Rovers dictated first half play but they were unable to break through the Morton defence, and the half-time boos summed up the home side’s frustration.
Murray responded with an early second half change, replacing Smith with Spence, but it took a debatable penalty to provide
Rovers with a breakthrough.
Grant Anderson fell into the box under Marc Fitzpatrick’s challenge, although the visitors insisted the initial foul was outside the area.
Spence claimed the ball and sent Derek Gaston the wrong way to pull Rovers level.
The striker thought he had scored again moments later when he got a toe to Joe Cardle’s cross to send the ball towards the net, but fellow sub Lewis Vaughan blocked on the line.
Spence was not to be denied, and in the 80th minute John Baird’s looping through ball put the striker in on goal. He took a great first touch before lashing a low shot past Gaston.