I'm a proud professional player, I did not want to be a laughing stock, says makeshift keeper Ryan Stevenson

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Ryan Stevenson's greatest fear as he walked out on Somerset Park on Tuesday night was that he would become a ‘laughing stock’ as the central figure in a comedy very few were finding funny.

Robbed of the services of the three goalkeepers on their books, Raith had appealed in vain to the SPFL to have their match with Ayr postponed. In the ultimate example of ‘taking one for the team’, Stevenson had volunteered to switch his role in midfield for that between the sticks.

Sunday morning teams the length of the land know the experience. For it to be allowed to happen in Scottish senior football has seen an unseemly row that has gone to the very top of the SPFL.

Scottish Championship side Raith Rovers have been forced to play an outfield player in goal

But that fall-out was far from Stevenson’s mind as he pulled on the pair of gloves he had found languishing in the back of a team-mate’s car.

‘I hated it,’ he admitted. ‘Any other position, you can get used to but not this. Left-back or right-back? Yeah that’s fine but never once have I found myself in goals. I was more conscious about not letting the team down. I did not want to be a laughing stock. I’m a proud professional player and have played for a long time. The last thing I wanted to do was to make this a laughing matter.

‘It shouldn’t have happened. I’d like to think that, with three goalkeepers unavailable through injury and the club unable to get someone in, the game would have been called off. Regardless of the team or level, it should have been called off.

‘We are aggrieved about that because Ayr have gained some ground from that and so have St Mirren and Dumbarton.

‘However, there was nothing we could do. We just had to roll our sleeves up and get on with it. It was exceptional circumstances and in my mind it should have been called off.’

The fact the game ended in a narrow 1-0 defeat is testament to Stevenson’s efforts and to those of the defence that worked so diligently in front of him.

Midfielder Ryan Stevenson was forced to wear the gloves for the clash with Ayr United

He denied Farid El Alagui in the opening minute when he pushed clear the striker’s header from eight yards out but had no chance with the Moroccan’s header just after the hour-mark that gave Ayr all three points and moved Ian McCall’s men to within a point of eighth-placed Raith who are now without a win in 17 matches.

‘The panic set in when I walked out and had a save to make after a minute,’ reflected Stevenson. ‘Listen, it was an experience. But, as a professional footballer, you never think that you will have to go in goals one day for the full game.

‘I was happy to make the first save and I have to give huge credit to the boys in front of me as they protected me well and didn’t give me that much to do in the full game. I’m bitterly disappointed that we lost.

‘I texted (chief executive Eric Drysdale) in the morning to say that I’m happy to help the team out and the manager because the boss has been first-class since arriving. However, I hope I’m outfield for the next game as it was not enjoyable out there.’

Stevenson played well and was even congratulated by opposition player Farid El Alagui

Drysdale claimed the SPFL’s decision not to postpone the game ‘compromised the competition’ yet the row shows no signs of ending just because the final whistle sounded.

The SPFL have fired back. In a statement released yesterday they said: ‘Raith Rovers had a number of options open to them once their only fit goalkeeper was injured.

‘They could have brought in an under-21 goalkeeper, or an out-of-contract goalkeeper of any age, in each case without any permission from the SPFL board.

‘They could also have sought permission from the SPFL board to bring in a goalkeeper of any age on an emergency basis.

‘All of these options were explained to Raith Rovers, who chose to do none of these things and instead requested a postponement on the day of the match.’

Stevenson made a number of saves and catches but was beaten as Ayr won the game 1-0

 All three of Raith's senior goalkeepers were unavailable to face Ayr due to injuries

Stevenson kept a clean sheet for over an hour before being beaten by El Alagui (right)

Yet furious Rovers manager John Hughes let rip at SPFL officials and declared they should be embarrassed by their attitude. He also cited how Hearts were allowed to postponed a match against his Inverness Caley Thistle team in April last year.

He said: ‘When I was manager of Inverness, Hearts had a game postponed because a virus swept through the camp. It is rules for some and rules for others.

‘Iain Blair and Neil Doncaster at the SPFL need to get their head out of the sand because this makes a mockery of Scottish football. It’s not the reason why we lost. Ayr United deserved it, they got the goal and we missed a lot of chances. Actually, I thought Ryan was outstanding given the circumstances.

‘The problem with Scottish football is you have administrators that have never played the game. They make up the rules. I hope they are embarrassed but they won’t be because I know how it works.

‘There’s self-interest up there and it’s why I am very reluctant to go and work in Scottish football because it stinks. It absolutely stinks. And this is me not saying what I really feel. I’m not saying what I really want to say out of respect for Raith Rovers.’