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Rovers Weather The Storm With Win

A second-half penalty from Regan Hendry was enough for Raith Rovers to see off Stirling Albion, as Rovers began their pre-season campaign with a 1-0 victory. 

John McGlynn began the match with seven of his summer recruits in the starting eleven, with another two on the bench. 

Ross Munro started the game in goals, with Kieran McDoanald filling the left full back position, while Fernandy Mendy was at centre-half beside Kyle Benedictus. 

In midfield, it was a hello again to Regan Hendry, who slotted in alongside Michael Miller, while Grant Anderson and Joao Victoria started in more advanced positions.

The only new acquisitions not to feature in the starting eleven were David McGurn and Brad Spencer, who had to be content with a place on the bench, alongside two trialists. 

The starting formation appeared to be a 4-3-3, with Anderson at the tip of the attacking trio, with Victoria wide left and Kieron Bowie on the right. 

Behind, Hendry was the furthest forward, with Miller and Ross Matthews tasked with a more defensive shift.

Bowie was looking lively in the opening stages, and after having Rovers first attempt at goal in the opening moments, he should have put the home side into the lead after five minutes, after Jamie Watson nodded the ball into his path, but with an unimpeded route to goal, his shot from an angle deflected wide off the outside of the left upright.

There was concern just a minute later, when Benedictus threw himself into a meaty challenge and struggled to get back to his feet, before eventually getting up and moving gingerly. 

To rub salt into the wounds, he then went down inside his own area after receiving a head-knock, in what was proving to be an eventful, and painful looking start to his season. 

Rovers had started the match well, with Hendry dictating matters in the middle of the park, but after those initial attempts at goal, they’d struggled to create too much in the way of chances. 

Indeed, it was the visitors who came close to opening the scoring in the 20th minute, when Jordon Lowden demonstrated some good footwork in the Rovers area, dribbling around Mendy, only for his shot to get deflected wide. 

Stirling were coming more and more into the game, and Lewis Hawke, son of former Raith forward, Warren Hawke was unlucky to see his header drift just over the bar, while Dominic Docherty unleashed a shot from distance which deflected just wide, with Munro struggling to get across. 

Rovers did get the ball over the goalline in the 39th minute, but the fact it arrived there after goalkeeper, Blair Currie had claimed it, before being huckled into the net under a crowd of bodies, meant it had no chance of being allowed. 

There was frustration for Rovers right at the end of the half, when referee Colin Steven blew for the interval with just a few seconds of injury time added on, with Rovers on a decent looking breakaway with Bowie looking threatening down the wing, and with options inside, before his threat was curtailed by the ref.

With Stirling Albion listing 13 substitutes, they elected to make eight changes at the start of the second period, with Rovers deciding to go with what they had as the heavens opened. 

McGlynn’s side almost opened the scoring in the 48th minute, when Anderson’s cross after galloping down the left was almost turned home by Bowie, but he couldn’t quite get on the end of it and the chance was lost. 

Anderson decided to take matters into his own hand next, turning his man 20-yards-from goal and letting fly, but while his shot didn’t lack oomph, it did lack accuracy, flying just over Currie’s crossbar. 

Rovers were now looking good, and Bowie’s attempt was the complete opposite of Anderson’s, with his drive from 25-yards accurate, but not quite hard enough to trouble the ‘keeper. 

MacDonald was next to bring a save from Currie, getting forward well down the left before cutting inside, but his shot from an angle was deflected away off the custodian’s shins. 

Stirling had been rarely seen in an attacking sense, but they almost scored just after the hour mark, when Gareth Rodgers was unlucky to see his header cleared off the line by Jamie Watson, as torrential rain started to batter down on the players, while thunder and lightning provided a theatrical backdrop to proceedings. 

In amongst the storm, Rovers made three substitutions, with David McKay, Iain Davidson and a trialist coming on for Benedictus, Anderson and Watson. 

The trialist took Anderson’s place up-top, and he immediately demonstrated a burst of pace and power, powering past the full-back, only for his cross to be just too high for Victoria. 

The Portugese forward was cutting a frustrated figure at times, getting himself into favourable positions, but finding himself unable to finish things off, either due to being crowded out, or through losing his footing. 

Rovers eventually opened the scoring in the 77th minute though, after Hendry was brought down in the penalty area, and the man who won it elected to take it, sending the ball to Currie’s left after the goalie elected to head right. 

It should have been two just a moment later, but after being teed up, substitute Brad Spencer couldn’t place his shot beyond Curie, who had impressed over the piece. 

Spencer was looking like a midfielder who likes to get forward, and the former Forfar man had another attempt at goal a few moments later from 20-yards, albeit it whizzed just past the post on this occasion. 

It was the final piece of notworthy action in what was a decent spectacle for a friendly, with several of the new signings showing up well. 

Rovers will be in action again on Thursday evening, when they entretain Hamilton at Stark’s Park. 

Photos

Photos © Tony Fimister

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