Queen’s Park 1 – 1 Raith Rovers

4:15PM | Sun 26th March

Hamilton Academical

Falkirk Stadium

Raith 6-1 Cove Rangers

Sat 18th Mar (Home)

Sun 26th Mar (Away)

Hamilton Academical

Sat 1st Apr (Home)

Queen's Park

Tue 4th Apr (Home)

Hamilton Academical

Sat 8th Apr (Away)

Inverness Caledonian Thistle

	Team	Pd	GD	Pt
1	Queen's Park	29	20	54
2	Dundee	29	15	50
3	Ayr United	29	15	46
4	Partick Thistle	29	10	45
5	Morton	29	6	43
6	Raith Rovers	28	2	38
7	Inverness CT	28	-2	36
8	Cove Rangers	29	-28	26
9	Arbroath	28	-16	25
10	Hamilton Academical	28	-22	25
Updated: 21st Mar

Saturday February 18th 2023

Rovers’ unbeaten run continues with draw against leaders

Rovers’ fixture against Queen’s Park (at Ochilview) had to be moved to the Friday night due to Stenhousemuir having a game the next day. A good number of Rovers’ fans made the journey, with the success in the cup still fresh in the minds.

Rovers made an enforced change seeing Esmaël Gonçalves making his first start in place of the injured Jamie Gullan.

It was Rovers that had the first real effort about ten minutes in: a good run and shot from Scott Brown but it was straight down the neck of Queen’s keeper Calum Ferrie. Queen’s were next to threaten after nice interplay down the right saw Dom Thomas put a cross-come shot just wide of Jamie McDonald’s right post.

The game ebbed and flowed with neither side really taking the initiative. Gonçalves saw his shot from the edge of the box saved by Ferrie; followed by a quick throw down the right which put the same player in again, but his left-footed shot was another straightforward stop. Rovers now starting to look the slightly more dangerous and another positive forward run from Brown, opened up space for Liam Dick and Dylan Easton, but the latter’s shot was tame, and the game remained goalless. Brown spurned probably Rovers’ best chance when his half-volley from just inside the box looked bound for the top corner, but flashed wide.

Half-time: Queen’s Park 0-0 Raith Rovers

Queen’s took the lead early in the second half. Jack Thomson lifted the ball into the box and Motherwell loanee, Connor Shields, took the ball down nicely, turned Tom Lang, before slotting home with his left foot. Queen’s 1-0 Rovers.

If there is one thing Rovers have shown in recent times it’s been resilience, and Easton was denied at the back post with a last ditch block. But Rovers did find a deserved equaliser. Aidan Connolly’s short corner to Easton saw him clip it towards the box, Ryan Nolan got to the ball first before he was brought down by Jake Davidson. Ref pointed to the spot with Queen’s players claiming it was just outside. Sub William Akio stepped up and although his penalty was weak, he was quick to pounce and convert the rebound. He then followed it with a spectacular acrobatic celebration.

The game played out and ended 1-1, with a draw probably being a fair result.

Full-time: Queen’s Park 1-1 Raith Rovers

Crowd: 923

by David Proudfoot

0
Welcome to tonight’s Cinch Championship game Queens Park v Raith Rovers. Not much of a wind but there is a light drizzle
0
Tonight’s referee is Craig Napier who is assisted by Ross McLeod and George King
0
Queens get tonight’s game underway
0
Raith shooting towards their own fans this half
1
Easton trying to break through early but his forward ball is blocked
2
Liam Dick’s ball to Goncalves in the Queens box is cleared
4
Booking for Fox as he tugs Easton’s shirt
4
Good free kick from Easton into the Wueens box but it’s cleared
5
Thomas with an early shot but it doesn’t trouble MacDonald
7
Good linking play between Connolly and Goncalves but the return pass is intercepted
9
Lang clears a Queens ball as they try to break through
10
Thomas’ ball is just wide
12
Freekick Raith on  the half way line after a foul on Connolly
13
Brown with a skelping shot which has Ferrie palming the ball down then collects quickly
14
Shields weaves his way through the Raith defence he cuts the ball back but thankfully Connolly is there to pick up the loose ball and clear the danger
17
Savoury has a low shot, MacDonald gets down to gather
20
Long ball to Stanton but Queens head clear
20
Goncalves with a low shot and Ferrie gets down to save
21
Booking for Spencer
22
Corner Queens as Nolan makes the challenge
23
From the corner ball is played to the Raith front post and cleared
24
Easton tries to take on two of the Queens defence but it doesn’t come to fruition
25
Goncalves again with a low shot but Ferrie gets down to gather
26
Liam Dick clears a long ball from Queens
28
Queens come close but they are judged to be offside.
30
Corner Queens as Shields’ shot is deflected
30
From the corner the ball falls to the middle of the box but Kilday miss kicks the ball out of the box
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Queens Park 0 Raith 0
34
Easton has a powering shot on goal and Ferrie gets down to save
35
Easton gets the ball into the box but instead of going for the shot he’s lost possession
36
Stanton gets the ball but his forward pass isn’t well executed and Queens intercept
40
Liam Dick clears for a Queens corner
41
After a great run to start the play from Easton, Goncalves gets the ball cut back to Brown who has a shot but ball is wide
43
MacDonald clearance is only as far as Boateng and Queens then go on to pressurise
45
Ref blows for half time bang on the 45 min mark … Queens 0 Raith 0
45
Raith get the second half underway. Raith defending the away end this half
45
Stanton is in the box he’s on the ground and he’s looking for the penalty but ref is shaking his head
46
Booking for Davidson as he holds back Goncalves as he tries to burst through. Freekick approx 20 yards  out
47
Nothing comes of the freekick as ball goes wide
49
MacDonald comes out to collect a ball delivered into the Raith box
49
Stanton looks as though he could break through but his forward pass hits off a Queens player
50
Goal for Queens
50
Ball falls to Shields he has time and his shot is in the back of the net
55
MacDonald comes charging out to clear after Lang loses the ball
56
Freekick Queens after Connolly fouls Savoury
56
Queens again with a low shot which forces MacDonald to get down to his right to save
58
Stanton can’t control a throw in and ball goes out for a Queens goal kick
58
Raith sub off Goncalves and bring on Akio
59
Good ball from Millen into the box which Queens force out for a Raith corner
60
Queens sub off Jarrett and bring on McPake
61
Liam Dick tries to cut the ball back from near the left corner into the box but no one there
63
Lang with a purposeful well timed challenge as Queens steam through
65
Oooft Lang delays releasing the ball and Queens pounce on it. Relief for Raith as Queens don’t capitalise
67
Corner Raith as Brown tries to get the ball into the box but Queens block
68
Thomas is through and charges up the field he has a pop and Millen stands his ground
68
Connolly with the ball into the Queens box but Raith can’t pounce
72
Akio wins a corner as his pass is deflected out
72
Raith penalty
73
Akio to take …
74
His penalty is saved but he hits the rebound GOOOAAALLL
76
Easton booked for a foul on Thomas
77
Liam Dick booked now
78
From the freekick the ball is delivered to the far post and thankfully ball goes out
78
Queens sub off Thomson and bring on Longridge
79
Spencer with a rather hopeful low shot and Ferrie gathers comfortably
80
Freekick Queens just left of the box
80
Ball goes straight out from the freekick
81
Raith sub off Easton and bring on McBride
82
McBride’s pass into the Queens box is blocked and out for a Raith throw in
83
Queen sub off Thomas and bring on Healy
85
Stanton with a lovely lift of the ball into the centre of the box Akio heads the ball over the bar
87
Just over 900 in attendance at the game this evening with a healthy travelling support
88
Brown with a timely challenge to stop Queens in their tracks
89
Raith sub off Connolly and bring on McGill as the ref books Owen Coyle
90
Queens corner
90
Ball delivers to front post and Queens kick wide
92
Stanton puts a foot in to try and win the ball
94
Ball falls to Akio but he’s been heavily marked he can’t turn and run
94
Ref blows for full time Queen 1 ( Shields 50’) Raith 1 (Akio 74’) … personally feel a point each is deserved. Both sides with chances.

Queens Park: Ferrie, Robson (c), Kilday, Fox, Thomson, Davidson, Savoury, Jarrett, Shields, Boateng, Thomas

Subs: Longridge, Henderson, McPake, Bruce, Biggar, Healy, Reid, Eze, Heraghty

Raith: MacDonald, Dick, Millen, Nolan, Spencer, Connolly, Lang, Stanton, Brown (c), Easton, Goncalves

Subs: Thomson, McBride, Ngwenya, Akio, McGill, Young, Masson

After three wins in a week, Raith Rovers schedule shows little sign of slowing down, as they head to Ochilview this Friday evening to face league leaders Queen’s Park.

Rovers head into this one in fine fettle, unbeaten in 12 matches, and on the back of arguably their best performance of the season, a resounding 3-1 win over Motherwell in the Scottish Cup.

The Spiders on the other hand are in more mixed form, with two wins, a draw and three defeats in their last six matches, and even one of those wins, a victory over Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Scottish Cup was overturned, due to fielding an illegible player.

The first game in that sequence was against Raith in the second week of January, with John Frederiksen grabbing his only goal for Rovers during his short stay in a 1-0 away win.

It’s been a different story in the league however, with Owen Coyle’s men taking full points from the two games so far.

Stephen Eze grabbed the only goal of the game at the start of October, as Queen’s ran out 1-0 winners, but there were far more goals when the two met at Stark’s Park in November, although far more of them went to the visitors.

Aidan Connolly scored both the opening and final goal of proceedings, but in-between, braces from Simon Murray, Dom Thomas and a solitary strike from Jack Thomson saw Queen’s Park eventually emerge 5-2 winners.

Queen’s Park have had some notable ins and outs in the January window, with right back, Marcel Oakley, who impressed in the first half of the campaign with Arbroath, joining on loan from Birmingham, while forwards, Euan Henderson and Connor Shields have joined in temporary moves from Hearts and Motherwell respectively.

However, they’ll have some big boots to fill, with Simon Murray, who scored 18 goals and set up another nine for the Ochilview lodgers, joining Ross County at the end of the window.

Friday’s match referee will be Craig Napier.

Head-to-Head Record:

Queen’s Park wins: 35

Raith Rovers wins: 50

Draws: 25