John Potter insists Kevin Dabrowski has no reason to apologise, despite the goalkeeper’s mistake handing Livingston a dramatic victory against Raith Rovers.
The Stark’s Park number one produced a superb first-half save to deny Andrew Shinnie a certain opener.
But the former Hibernian youngster was culpable in the 90th minute as he allowed a powerful Jamie Brandon shot to squirm through his hands and into the net.
It was a bitter blow for managerless Raith, who had the better of the second-half and who saw substitute Lewis Vaughan strike the crossbar with a 71st-minute header.
Euan Murray and Liam Dick both also tested Livi’s debutant keeper, Jerome Prior, just after the interval.
But Brandon’s late winner leaves Rovers with just three points from a possible 12 so far this season to sit second bottom in the Championship.
“It was a really hard one to take, to be fair,” said interim boss Potter. “I thought we were really good for long spells in the game.
“Our quality was better, our energy was really good, our press was really good.
“Some of the stuff we’ve worked on and we need to be better at every week, I thought was there.
Potter: ‘He’s made a mistake’
“It’s just that final bit, the quality in the final third that’s maybe lacking a little bit.
“But we did create more today, I felt.
“Kev had a couple of good saves. Alright, he’s made a mistake at the end from a shot from distance.
“We are disappointed. I don’t think we deserved to lose that game. I think they would say the exact same, so we’re disappointed.”
Asked about Dabrowski’s reaction in the dressing-room after the final whistle, Potter added: “Kev’s been brilliant from the moment he signed. He’s made a mistake but he doesn’t need to apologise.
“He’s made a million saves and won us a lot of points.
“He’s devastated, he’s disappointed, but it happens.
“When you’re a goalkeeper and you do that then it’s usually a goal.”
Raith, already without skipper Scott Brown, Sam Stanton, Kieran Freeman, Jack Hamilton and Callum Fordyce through injury and Shaun Byrne due to suspension, saw Euan Murray limp off with a groin problem.
Managerial hunt latest
“It’s not easy after we lost him because we’ve not got another natural replacement,” said Potter. “So we we’re throwing different people about and asking them to cover.
“They did that and they did it really well.”
Meanwhile, Potter and assistant Colin Cameron took the team for the third game since Ian Murray’s surprise sacking on August 4.
After knock-backs from Aberdeen coach Peter Leven and Linfield boss David Healy, the club’s search for a replacement is entering its fifth week.
“I’ve said that before,” said Potter when asked if he expected Livingston to be his final match in charge. “I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t know.
“The [next] game is next Sunday, so we’ll see what happens.
“We’re still working away as a club. Myself and the board and Andy are still doing our due diligence on people and trying to speak to people and trying to get the best guy in.
“As I’ve said a few times, that’s the most important thing, that we get the guy in who we think is the best for the long-term future of Raith Rovers.
“I don’t think there’s anything imminent, but we’ll see. It’s day by day.”
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