Dev Lge: Raith Rovers 6 – 1 Berwick Rangers

Match Report

Michael Woods Leisure Centre, February 13th 2018

Raith Rovers u20s 6 (McCann 28, 41, 75 Dall 48, Watson 52, Stevenson 57) – 1 Berwick Rangers u20s (Barrett, 88)

Rampant Rovers hit Berwick for six to maintain a nine-point lead at the top of the league table.

Both sides started brightly, the ball being passed neatly from midfield but with no clear chances of note in the opening fifteen minutes.
Things changed thereafter for the Rovers when Yaw Osei fell to the ground in pain, having suffered a knock in an innocuous challenge.

After being aided to the side line by players of both sides he was replaced by Lewis McCann, hopefully Yaw has a swift recovery.
Had this been a normal tactical swap, Craig Easton would have been lauded for his foresight as Lewis played a blinder scoring a hat-trick.

Play resumed with Murrell crossing to Gillan at the edge of the area, his looping header carefully tracked by Brian who grabbed the ball from under the bar.
Berwick pressed further when Rose at the by-line back heeled into the path of Jack, his shot from the edge of the box being cleared by MacDonald throwing himself in front of the advancing Brian.

Rovers took control of the game in the 28th minute, Stevenson, 35 yards out laid the ball off to Lewis McCann who took the ball in to the corner of the six-yard box sending the ball past Allan at the near post 1-0

Stevenson was the provider moments after the restart with a high ball into the edge of the box where Trialist A fired narrowly wide.
Ryan kept the pressure on the visitors, sending a 35 yards free kick low past the keeper’s right post, this was followed by Dall running onto a through ball and firing just wide from 20 yards.

Dall continued to create openings, blasting the ball straight to the keeper from 10 yards, the ball was cleared to Lewis McCann who picked his spot, looping the ball over the keeper from the edge of the D 2-0

From the start of the second half Rovers pressed high and tormented the visitors with three goals in twelve minutes.
McCann broke down the right and flighted the ball to Bell at the back post, heading into the path of Kieran Dall who blasted past Allan from the centre of the area 3-0

Rovers were now shooting on sight, Ryan Stevenson next up firing the ball goalward only to be denied by the keeper’s legs, the ball was cleared, but only to Stevenson who found Jamie Watson on a run down the left and from 20 yards out hit the ball across the keeper into the postage stamp corner 4-0

Stevenson finally gained reward for his efforts with a move he started himself, a high ball into McCann was headed to Dall then into the path of Ryan Stevenson who found the sweet spot and smashed the ball across the keeper and into the far corner 5-0

The game was punctuated with a series of substitutions which did nothing to break the hold that the Rovers had on the game, culminating on the 75th minute with Crosbie and Dall playing a 1-2 through the middle the latter laying the ball into the path of Lewis McCann who claimed his hat-trick with a thundering shot from the corner of the 18-yard box into the far corner of goal 6-0

Berwick scored in the closing minutes with Murrell shaking his marker on the left, his low cross came off substitute keeper Peden into the path of Bradley Barrett who scored from the seated position, he went to ground trying to shoot and a failure to clear saw him lob the ball past Peden from the centre of the area 6-1

Remember, RRFC Season Ticket holders get free entry to all Development League games. View the Development League (East) Fixture list & Table here.

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