Raith Rovers winger Barry McKay won the sponsor’s man of the match award in the goal-less Championship draw with Falkirk at Stark’s Park.
McKay was making his first start since signing on loan from Rangers on transfer deadline day, and the 19-year-old was keen to make an impression.
“Obviously we’re disappointed we didn’t get all three points, but the game could have gone either way,” he said.
“They didn’t really trouble our goalie that much, and we kept a clean sheet, which is good as well.
“I’ve come here to try to get some game time and hopefully I can impress and go back to Rangers in January and play there, or if not, play here for the full season,” he said.
“I’m still young and I’ve got a lot of the game to learn, but the faith the gaffer has shown in bringing me here gives me a lot of confidence.
“They are all great lads here, they’ve all taken to me pretty well and are helping me by talking me through game.
“They realise I’m still young and have got a lot to learn with them, so that’s good for me.”
McKay’s performance was one of the few bright sparks in a game that lacked entertainment value as both sides struggled to create chances.
Rovers were looking for a first league win over Falkirk in six attempts and they made a positive start with Christian Nade heading wide after just 60 seconds.
Neither goalkeeper had much to do until the 19th minute, when Jamie MacDonald made an impressive double save to keep Rovers out, diving to his left to parry Martin Scott’s deflected effort, then blocking the midfielder’s rebound attempt.
Falkirk were restricted to long-range efforts as they struggled to breach Rovers’ back four, and Ross Laidlaw dealt comfortably with well-struck shots from Craig Sibbald and Owain Tudor Jones.
Chances continued to be at a premium after the break, but Raith created the game’s best opening on the 64-minute mark as they hit Falkirk with a pacey counter attack.
Rory McKeown burst forward from left back, latching on to a Kevin Moon pass to go clean through on goal, but MacDonald brilliantly saved his near-post effort.
Falkirk’s best effort arrived four minutes later as Tudor Jones’s header from Sibbald’s corner was finger-tipped over the bar at full stretch by Laidlaw.
The visitors finished the match stronger but in the end neither manager felt their side had done enough to claim three points.
Raith boss Grant Murray said: “The boys are in there disappointed that they didn’t take the three points, but it’s another clean sheet for us to build on.
“We had chances but our final ball let us down at times. We wanted to push for a winner but we had to get the balance right.”
Falkirk manager Peter Houston added: “A draw was a fair result.
“The positive to take out of it is the clean sheet, but in the final third we were lethargic and slow to put balls into the box.
“We need to change these draws into wins.”