Rovers collapse to clinical Queen’s
Rovers made two changes from the defeat to Dundee last week with Lewis Vaughan replacing Kyle Connell and Ethan Ross replacing the injured Dylan Easton.
Rovers started well, crafting a few early chances. A Brad Spencer pass sliced open the Queen’s defence but Kieran Ngwenya couldn’t find a Rovers player with the cutback. Next down the left was Ethan Ross, his run and cutback found Vaughan, but his left-footed snapshot only found the side netting.
Rovers deservedly took the lead in the 18th minute and it was probably as good a goal as Rovers’ fans will see all season. Vaughan’s run was halted by the Queen’s defence but the ball broke to Aidan Connolly, who stepped inside and curled an unstoppable left-footed shot into the far corner. Rovers 1 – 0 Queen’s.
GOAL…Calum Ferrie is well beaten as Aidan’s strike flies into the net.
The game then ebbed and flowed but turned in the 36th minute. Queen’s Simon Murray curled a free kick up and over the wall and beyond the stretch of the diving Jamie MacDonald. Rovers 1 – 1 Queen’s.
Rovers then conceded again just before half-time. A speculative shot from Dom Thomas took a huge deflection off Liam Dick, leaving MacDonald helpless. Rovers 1 – 2 Queen’s.
Half-time: Raith Rovers 1 – 2 Queen’s Park
As Rovers’ fans were expecting a fast start to the second half, they were hit by a sucker punch from Queen’s. A quick breakaway down the left and subsequent cross found Murray at the back post, and he slid in to finish on the goal line. Rovers 1 – 3 Queen’s.
Rovers had some half-chances to get back in the game: Vaughan curled a shot just wide and substitute Kyle Connell had a shot well saved by Queen’s keeper, Calum Ferrie. However, Rovers’ fate was sealed in the 72nd minute.
A passing move in their own half broke down, Murray picked up the ball and charged forward before playing in Jack Thomson who took a touch before blasting low past MacDonald. Rovers 1 – 4 Queen’s.
Queen’s scored their 5th with another deflected Thomas shot before Connolly grabbed a consolation goal for Rovers. Rovers 2 – 5 Queen’s.
GOAL……Lewis Vaughan gets a close up view as Aidan Connolly (Hidden behind Connell) scores number 2
Rovers had other chances before the end but lacked the clinical finishing demonstrated by the visitors. Queen’s Park ended up with 5 shots on target and 5 goals. A ratio that manager Owen Coyle would have been proud of during his playing career.
Rovers, as manager Ian Murray said, will have to take this defeat on the chin, and bounce back in the Scottish Cup next week.
Full Time: Raith Rovers 2 – 5 Queen’s Park
Crowd: 1861
By David Proudfoot
MacDonald, Dick, Millen, Spencer, Connolly, Vaughan, O’Riordan, Ngwenya, Stanton, Brown, Ross. Subs: McNeil, Nolan, Gullan, McBride, Connell, Coulson, Masson, Frederiksen
Queen’s Park
Ferrie, Robson, Kilday, Fox, Thomson, McPake, Thomas, Davidson, Murray, Jarrett, Boateng. Subs: Naismith, Longridge, Kenny, Heraghty, Williamson, Savoury, Bannon, Akrobor-Boateng, Eze
Allthe pictures from the match against Queen’s Park at Stark’s Park.
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- HER SISTER WAS A MASCOT TOADAY BYT HARPER LAWRIE GOT TO MEET ROARY
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- COLLECTING TOYS FOR THE COTTAGE FAMILY CENTRE APPEAL
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- FIONA BRODIE (right) CELEBRATED HER BIRTHDAY WITH SOME RAITH ROVERS HOSPITALITY
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- BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS FOR BRIAN MARSHALL
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- HOSPITALITY GUESTS KIRKCALDY FORD
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- MATCH SPONSORS SM SUPPLIES
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- PRE MATCH MASCOT INTERVIEW WITH DAVID SINCLAIR AND MARCY LAWRIE
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- THE MASCOTS WITH THE REF AND CAPTAINS
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- BRAD SPENCER ON A RUN
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- A BIT OF A PILE UP
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- CALUM FERRIE CAN'T STOP AIDAN CONNOLLY SCORING
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- AIDAN CELEBRATES HIS GOAL
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- SIMON MURRAY TAKES QUEENS FREE KICK
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- MURRAY'S FREE KICK BEATS JAMIE MacDONALD
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- EYES ON THE BALL
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- DOMINIC THOMSON'S DEFLECTED GOAL GIVE QUEENS PARK THE LEAD
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- FORMER ROVER BILLY BROWN PICKING THE 50-50 WINNING TICKET 48642 WORTH £505
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- GIRL POWER HELPING THE TEAM
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- HALF TIME BALL NEAREST ROARY WINNER JAMES POTTER WITH ROARY AND BILLY BROWN
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- ETHAN ROSS WINS THE LOOSE BALL
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- CONNOR O'RIORDAN UP HELPING THE FORWARDS
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- IAN AND COLIN TAKING NOTES
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- LEWIS VAUGHAN HOLDS OFF A DEFENDER
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- KIERAN NGWENYA ON A RUN
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- JAMIE GULLAN
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- JAMIE GULLAN IN ACTION
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- LIAM DICK SHOWS THE FORWARDS WHERE HE'S SENDING THE BALL
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- THROUGH BALL TO LEWIS
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- JAMIE GULLAN'S EFFORT GOES JUST PAST THE POST
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- SAM STANTON
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- KIERANS EYES FIXED ON THE BALL
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- LEWIS WAS ALL OVER THE PARK HELPING THE TEAM
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- MAN OF THE MATCH AIDAN CONNOLLY SCORES HIS SECOND GOAL
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- A LATE EFFORT ON THE QUEENS PARK GOAL
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- MOTM AIDAN CONNOLY RECEIVES HIS AWARD FROM STEVE MacDONALD
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- Sam Stanton steps in to collect the ball
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- Lewis Vaughan sees his shot hit the side netting
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- Ethan Ross tries a neat back heel but it was easy meat for Ferrie in the Queen's goal
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- Kilday stops Lewis in his tracks.....
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- ....Aidan Connolly picks up the loose ball.....
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- .....and fires in a trademark shot from outside the box......
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- ..GOAL....Connolly's shot flies high into the top corner.
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- Ethan Ross gets back to collect the ball
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- Kieran Ngwenya gets his head on the ball
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- Ethan Ross watches as his shot goes just over
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- GOAL....Simon Murray's free kick beats Jamie MacDonald
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- Ross Millen looks for support
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- Jamie MacDonald is wrong footed as a wicked deflection put Queens in front
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- Liam Dick meets the ball head on
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- GOAL.....Murray gets in at the back post to send the ball home.
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- Brad Spencer beats Jarrett to the ball
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- Brad Spencer rises unchallenged
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- Kyle Connell fires in a shot
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- Lewis Vaughan has his eye on the ball.....
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- ......and wins it......
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- Lewis lays it off to Sam Stanton
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- Jamie Gullan charges into the box
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- Jamie tries again
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- Kieran Ngwenya forces Murray back
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- Sam Stanton has a start on Thomas
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- Lewis Vaughan starts another attack
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- Kyle Connell gets to grips with Jarrett
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- GOAL.....Jack Thomson fires the ball past MacDonald
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- GOAL....The ball takes a wicked deflection of Dick's head.....
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- ....and flies past MacDonald
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- Kieran Ngwenya gets close to Dom Thomas
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- Sam Stanton gets in a tackle on the touchline
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- Scott Brown and Sam Stanton race for the ball
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- Sam is all on his own as he heads the ball
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- GOAL......Lewis Vaughan gets a close up view as Aidan Connolly (Hidden behind Connell) scores number 2
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- Connor O'Riordan wins the ball.
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- Sam Stanton takes over heading duty
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- Connor back to take charge in the air.
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- Lewis Vaughan passes to Kyle Connell
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- Kyle Connell races upfield
PHOTOS © TONY FIMISTER AND JIM FOY.
Ian Murray spoke to RaithTV after the defeat to Queen’s Park FC:
After defeat on the road at Dens Park last weekend, Raith Rovers will be looking to get back to winning ways this Saturday, when they host Queen’s Park.
Despite a close first half, Dundee came out strongly in the second half, and two goals from Zach Robinson was enough to seal all three points for the Dee.
The Spiders on the other hand ran out 2-1 winners against Inverness, thanks to goals from Charlie Fox and Simon Murray, a result which saw them leapfrog Rovers into fourth place.
Owen Coyle’s men are in pretty good recent form, with just one defeat in their last five league games, which came up at the Balmoral Stadium against Cove Rangers at the start of November.
These two sides have met once already this season, with Queen’s Park running out 1-0 winners at their temporary home of Ochilview back in October, thanks to Stephen Eze’s second half header.
That match brought to an end a run of 10 straight wins for Rovers against Queen’s, with their last victory a 1-0 win in the third tier in 2007.
Saturday’s match referee will be Don Robertson.
Head-to-Head Record:
Raith Rovers Wins: 49
Queen’s Park Wins: 35
Draws: 24