Reports

Raith Rovers went down by a goal to nil to Clyde in their second pre-season game of the summer, in tonight’s behind close doors game at Stark’s Park. 

Rovers made a number of changes from Saturday’s win over Stranraer, with Robbie Thomson replacing Jamie MacDonald in goals, while Liam Dick replaced a trialist at left back. 

Further up the park, Brad Spencer and Quinn Coulson came in for Dario Zanatta and Dylan Tait, while one trialist also started for the home side. 

Clyde listed two starting elevens with a first half XI and a second half XI, both of which featured an abundance of trialists. 

That made matters tricky enough, but Clyde’s team also featured no numbers on their jerseys, while their shorts, which did feature numbers were borrowed off Rovers. Not ideal for descriptive purposes. 

Thankfully it was the home side who were on the front foot, and they should have taken the lead as early as the fourth minute. 

Lewis Vaughan did well to win possession back high up the park, but his cross from the left was blocked from the corner. The set-piece was only half cleared, and when the ball was played to the back post to Aidan Connolly, you expected the net to ripple, but Clyde keeper, David Mitchell spread himself well to block the midfielder’s close range effort. 

Rovers were zipping the ball about well in the opening stages, and Coulson got a sight at goal in the 14th minute after a fine passing move, but he swung at it with his right leg when a left foot shot may have been wiser, and the chance was lost. 

Despite looking lively, it wasn’t one way traffic, with Thomson having to look lively to palm away a shot from distance, while Christophe Berra had to stretch every sinew of his neck muscles to divert away a wicked ser-piece for a corner that came to nothing.

Dick was getting forward well on his debut in Raith colours, and his gallivanting run down the left flank brought Rovers next chance, when his crossfield pass picked out Vaughan, and his early shot from distance appeared to be fizzing into the corner, only for Mitchell to turn it wide. 

Raith’s custodian came up with an even better stop, not once but twice after half an hour. 

The first was after a well worked free-kick routine on the edge of the area, with a neat backheel teeing up a Clyde player, but his 20-yard drive was well reacted to by Thomson. 

A few seconds later, he had to stand up to to deflect away a one-on-one when a Bully Wee player found himself straight through at an agle, and a few seconds after that, Clyde somehow missed a header after an excellent cross was placed on his head from the right wing. 

Both keepers were having a great match, and after Coulson teed up Keatings who was six yards out, he was perhaps if anything, too close to goal, with his shot smothered by Mitchell. 

Clyde were causing problems in the half’s closing stages, with crosses from wide areas proving food for thought for the Raith backline, while the newly platinum haired Kyle Benedictus doing well to block a goalbound looking effort as the first 45 drew to a close.

Rovers made three changes at the break, with Dario Zanatta, Dylan Tait and a trialist replacing Aidan Connolly, Coulson and the other trialist. 

Not only did Clyde make umpteen changes for the second period, it also took them a lot longer to wheel them out, with the interval lasting 25 minutes as Raith kicked their heels while waiting patiently. 

Rovers went through the gears in the second period against Stranraer at the weekend, but on this occasion, they found themselves a goal down in the 53rd minute. 

A deep cross from the right was well kept alive at the back post, and with the Rovers defence caught underneath the looping cross, Mark Lamont was able to cooly finish at the back post. 

Keatings made way for Kieran Mitchell with 30 minutes remaining, with the youngster making his second appearance since signing his first contract for the club last week. 

Rovers were playing the ball around well since the goal, but unlike the first half, they were struggling to work the Clyde keeper who had enjoyed a reasonably quiet first 20 minutes since the interval. 

Mitchell and Zanatta were trying their best to cause umbrage in the visitors rearguard, but Rovers first real attempt of the half came with 20 minutes left, when a speculative effort from Brad Spencer from distance was sent pinging over the bar. 

Rovers almost drew themselves level with 15 minutes remaining, when Zanatta drifted in from the right and sashayed past three players in the process, but from an angle, Mitchell did well to keep out his effort with a strong hand. 

It was all Rovers in the closing stages, with Reghan Tumilty and Zanatta combining well down the right, but while they were getting plenty deliveries into the area, no one was able to steer them home. 

As is normally the case in these practise matches, the game petered out in the closing moments, giving Danny Lennon’s men the win. 

Rovers next friendly will be on Saturday afternoon, when they face off against Laurie Ellis’ Queen’s Park side at Stark’s Park. 

Photos

Photographs © Tony Fimister

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