Cowdenbeath boss Jimmy Nicholl hopes his side’s luck will finally turn against Livingston after the fates conspired against the Blue Brazil in Saturday’s Fife derby.
The way the scoring went at Stark’s Park perhaps told the story of Nicholl’s day, as Raith Rovers came from behind to earn all three points on an afternoon that went from bad to worse from the visitors.
Cowden lost three players through injury before the second half started, one of whom didn’t even make it for the first whistle, but they still went in at the break 1-0 up thanks to Kudos Oyenuga’s strike before the interval.
However, the crazy personnel situation took its toll in the second half as Rovers completed their comeback to leave Nicholl’s men pointless.
“It was horrific,” he recalled.
“We started with Jon Robertson in the warm-up, he hurt his groin in the warm-up, so Thomas O’Brien came in.
“I thought we started the game well and we were doing alright, but then Calum Gallagher has a head knock so Craig Sutherland comes in and also does alright creates a goal for Kudos Oyenuga who has a good finish and we’re 1-0 up.
“Everything was ticking along nicely, but there were a few strugglers at half-time and then we find out that Craig Sutherland has done his knee in and can’t continue.
“So we were sitting there with no subs, we were 1-0 up at half-time and knew what was coming at us, and it was just a case of us being able to handle it.
“Unfortunately we didn’t do it and that was the most disappointing thing.”
Nicholl felt his side may have merited a point, even after Raith’s Kevin Moon reduced the deficit and Christian Nade put Rovers ahead, but he will be hoping for better fortune when they host fellow strugglers Livingston this weekend.
He added: “It was a needless free-kick to give away when they made it 1-1 but even then I thought we were down to the boards, we were a wee bit all over the place with players who weren’t playing and who should have been playing and what have you.
“The second goal we lost I wasn’t happy with, but when you see Thomas O’Brien going up the park and hitting the post you know it’s not going to be your day.”