Preview

Ian Murray looks ahead to the first home match of the season against Dundee:

Raith Rovers make their home bow in the SPFL Championship this weekend, against a side who are generally tipped as the favourites for the division; Dundee.

However, like the Rovers, the Dens Park side lost their opening match last weekend, and are looking to bounce back under new manager, Gary Bowyer.

The former Blackburn, Blackpool, Bradford and Salford manager took the reigns at Dundee over the summer, and while pre-season results were positive last weekend's 3-2 defeat to Partick Thistle was very much a set back in a game where they found themselves 3-0 down at one point.

Rovers also started off proceedings with a loss last weekend, after a 2-0 defeat to Cove Rangers at the Balmoral Stadium, and they'll be hoping for a far better result when Dundee are the visitors to Stark's Park on Saturday afternoon.

Rovers did win the last time the two clubs faced off in May last year in the second leg of the Premiership promotion playoffs, when a Lewis Vaughan goal handed Rovers the victory, but a 3-0 loss in the first leg meant Dundee advanced in the playoffs, and ultimately gained promotion against a poor Kilmarnock side.

Rovers also won the last time the two sides met in the Championship at Stark's Park back in January last year, when goals from Kyle Benedictus, Reghan Tumilty and Kai Kennedy cemented a 3-1 win.

Head to Head

Raith Rovers Wins: 35

Dundee Wins: 74

Draws: 36

Reports

Rovers welcomed Dundee to Stark’s Park for the first home fixture of the league season with manager Ian Murray hoping they could make amends for the opening day defeat at Cove Rangers last week.

The match got off to a lively start but it was the visitors who got the first real chance, and they made it count, with Josh Mulligan firing a Jordan Marshall cross into the bottom corner past MacDonald.

Sam Stanton was twice denied by tremendous saves from Harrison Sharp as Rovers searched for the equaliser, a shot from the edge of the box looked like it was going high into the net but the keeper got a touch on it enough to send it wide, and soon after Stanton’s clever side-foot forced an outstanding save from the goalie.

Sharp saves to deny Stanton

Mulligan nearly doubled his and Dundee's tally in the second half but the best chance of the half fell to Ethan Ross when Sharp slipped and the ball fell to Ross who looked to have the easiest of tasks to round the keeper to equalise but he snapped at the shot and the ball went agonisingly wide with the goal gaping.

Morton are the visitors to Stark’s Park next week when Rovers will be hoping to get their first points on the board.

Photos

All Tony & Jim's action pictures from the match against Dundee and, if you were at the game, have a look and see if you were caught on Cameron's Camera.

Pictures © Tony Fimister, Jim Foy & Cameron Goodsir-McGuire.

Highlights

Interviews

Manager Ian Murray spoke with RaithTV after the game v Dundee:

Live Updates

0'
Welcome to today's first home league game where we host Dundee. Start today for newest loan signing O'Riordan. Also coming into the starting lineup is Ngwenya. Easton and Connell start on the bench
0'
Ground is filling up nicely with a healthy away support. Weather is overcast with a wee breeze.
0'
Dundee get our first home league game underway way… Raith shooting towards the McDermid stand this half
1'
Second free kick to Dundee in as many minutes
3'
Defence do well to keep on the back of Rudden
3'
Freekick Raith after a foul on Stanton just over the halfway line
4'
Ross takes it, gets the ball into the box but Dundee head clear
6'
McMullan cuts the ball back but thankfully Dundee aren't organised to make an impact
9'
O'Riordan does well to stave off Rudden, gets the ball back to MacDonald who boots the ball out the danger area
12'
⚽️
Dundee score… Mulligan scores
15'
MacDonald has to get down and save from the feet of Rudden. The latter is offside and the linesman eventually flags
16'
Corner Raith after Stanton has a pop
16'
From the corner Sharp punches clear
18'
Ngwenya and Liam Dick work well with the latter getting the ball into the box for Gullan but ball is cleared for a corner to Raith (which didn't come to anything)
19'
Gullan to Ngwenya who gets the ball into the box but Dundee mop up
22'
Ross to Liam Dick who again gets the ball into the Dundee box but again Dundee clear
23'
Millen this time with the ball to the far side of the Dundee box to Ngwenya. He heads back but no one there
26'
Foul on Gullan but ref just lets play carry on
27'
O'Riordan does well to win the ball from Mulligan near the byline and gets the ball away
29'
Ross does really well to keep control of the ball, he looks up and see Ngwenya but his cross into the box doesn't payoff
30'
💬
Raith 0 Dundee 1(Mullugan 12') it would be fair to say Dundee have edged this half so far but Raith are trying
31'
Marshall gets a dangerous ball into front of the Raith goal but Nolan clears
33'
Connolly with the long ball upfield to Ross but he's judged to be offside
34'
God play at last from Raith, Ngwenya gets the ball into the box and Stanton is close to scoring
35'
Teams taking a water break as Jakubiak receives treatment
37'
↔️
Dundee sun off Jakubiak and bring on McCowan
37'
Ref having a word with O'Riordan, next time might be booking
38'
Marshall heads over the Raith bar
40'
Kerr out paces Ngwenya but Nolan there to chest clear for a Dundee corner
40'
Millen is booked
41'
McCowan is booked for protesting a lot to the ref re a fouls he feels he should have got
45'
+1 Dundee foul deep in Raith half
45'
+2 MacDonald gathers as the ref blows for halftime Raith 0 Dundee 1 (Mulligan 12') Raith need to up the pace for the second half
45'
Raith getting the second half underway
45'
↔️
Raith sub off Ngwenya and bring on Easton
47'
Corner to Dundee
47'
Byrne with a shot but it's blasted high
48'
Play stopped as Nolan has a head knock, hee back in his feet
50'
Good ball from Easton into the Dundee box but Sharp collects
54'
Byrne booked for foul on Easton at the halfway line
55'
↔️
Dundee sub off Byrne and bring on McGowan
56'
Connolly with a good cross to Gullan who is inches away from scoring
61'
Good save from MacDonald as Dundee have a powerful shot
62'
Sharp slips and the ball is loose, Ross is there but he shoots wide
65'
Freekick Raith as a Easton is fouled
67'
Brown booked
69'
Freekick Dundee…McCowan takes it, it gets round the wall but straight to MacDonald's hands
69'
French for Dundee booked
71'
Raith are let off as Brown pushes in the box and Dundee player goes to ground
73'
↔️
Raith sub off Stanton and bring on Connell
75'
Good play from Briwn as he turns, gets a long ball to Gullan but it's a bit heavy
76'
Corner Raith
77'
Risky play from Connolly as he passes back to MacDonald with Rudden breathing heavily on the heals of Connolly
79'
Booking for Sweeney as he holds Connell
81'
↔️
Dundee sub off Anderson and Rudden and bring on Ashcroft and Robinson
82'
Raith sub off Gullan and bring on Zanatta
88'
Gullan with strike but Sharp gets down and saves
88'
↔️
Raith sub off Millen and bring on Coulson
90'
Attendance today is 3222
91'
O'Riordan is the match app man of the match as voted by the fans
94'
Ref blows for full time Raith 0 Dundee 1 (Rudden 12') Next weeks game is at home next week against Morton