Cowdenbeath manager Jimmy Nicholl has admitted tearing a strip off his players during the interval of their 2-1 home defeat to Hibernian on Saturday.
The Blue Brazil had hoped to secure three points at Central Park at the weekend which would have been enough to lift them off the foot of the Championship.
As it was though, a lacklustre first-half showing saw them concede twice before the break leaving Nicholl’s men with far too much to do in the second period.
“That was nowhere near what I expect,” he said of the first-half performance.
“There was a lack of concentration for the first goal, and we were brushed off the ball too easily for the second one, so they got it at half-time.
“That’s the worst I have been for a long time, but I cannot accept them letting your opponents dictate the pace of the game.
“To win a game of football you need to compete for 90 minutes, not 45, and we never competed in the first half.
“We made things easier for them and gave good players time to play and that’s something you cannot afford to do at this level.”
It was a much improved performance in the second half and Hibs were forced to hold on late in the game after Jon Robertson hauled Cowden back into the match, although the home side just couldn’t find the equaliser.
Meanwhile, Cowden, who will travel to face local rivals Raith Rovers this Saturday, have been buoyed by the income from two successive home gates against Rangers just over a week ago and Hibs at the weekend.
It is thought the Blue Brazil made around £60,000 from the midweek fixture against Rangers, while a similar figure would have been amassed after Saturday’s visitors Hibs made the trip across the Forth.