Carl Robinson was almost apologetic about scoring a goal to help the Red Bulls beat his old team, Toronto FC, 4-1 on Saturday. (Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

The reaction was pure Carl Robinson.

Three minutes after coming on as a substitute, the veteran midfielder scored the final goal in the New York Red Bulls' 4-1 whitewash win over Toronto FC on Saturday, ending the Reds' 17-game unbeaten streak at BMO Field in the process.

It was the first goal for Robinson in a Red Bulls uniform since being traded to New York by Toronto in the off-season. Having been sidelined for the majority of this campaign with a knee injury, Robinson would have been well within his rights to wildly celebrate his achievement.

Instead, the Welshman immediately covered his mouth with his hand, as if he were embarrassed to have scored against his old club. Seconds later, without making a fuss, he simply put his head down and quietly jogged back to the centre circle for play to resume.

Robinson admitted he wasn't in a celebratory mood because of the condition of his ailing father back in the U.K. But he also explained he didn't want to anger Toronto FC fans, who gave him a rousing standing ovation when he entered the game.

"It's nice to score, obviously," Robinson told CBCSports.ca after the game.

'It was difficult to be out there.… I still have a lot of friends on Toronto.' — Former Toronto FC midfielder Carl Robinson

"I don't score many goals but I didn't celebrate out of respect for the Toronto fans who were great to me when I played here. I appreciated the reception I got when I came into the game, and the memory of that will last with me forever."

Saturday's contest marked Robinson's first return to BMO Field since the trade, and he was almost apologetic about helping the Red Bulls beat his old team.

"It was difficult to be out there.… I still have a lot of friends on Toronto but that's football, I'm afraid," he said.

On the mend

Knee problems have limited Robinson to just eight appearances for New York, but he insisted he is on the mend and ready to make a more substantial contribution.

"The knee is getting better. I've been training for three or four weeks fully, non-stop," Robinson said. "The team has been great to me, allowing me to take time off and rush back to the U.K. to visit my dad. I'm stepping up my training and I'm going to push to try to earn a starting place in the team."

That could prove difficult with the recent addition of Mexican midfielder Rafael Marquez, New York's third designated player signing after Juan Pablo Angel and Thierry Henry.

Still, Robinson is up for the challenge.

"For me, it's not about the 11 players on the field at the start of the game — it's about 18 who are on the game-day roster," the Welshman said. "It's important that the players that aren't starting are pushing the ones who are. If we do that, we have a good chance of winning the MLS Cup."

Robinson, 33, left Toronto with a heavy heart after three years and being named the club's most valuable player in 2007 and 2008, its first two seasons in Major League Soccer. Beloved by fans who appreciated his commitment on the field, Robinson misses playing in a city he and his family fell in love with.

"I miss Toronto, it's a great city. It was a big part of my life, but I'm one of these people who doesn't have regrets in my life or look back," Robinson stated.

Nor is he one to hold grudges.

Robinson wanted to end his playing career in Toronto, but what he labelled as mistreatment by club management led to his departure. Instead of publicly criticizing Toronto general manager Mo Johnston, Robinson has remained silent on the matter because it’s not in his character to publically settle old scores.

"Sometimes it takes a big man to walk away, and that's what I did," Robinson said. "There's no bitterness by me at all with how things ended here."