Sat 17th December / 15:00 / 2022-23 / / home
Raith Rovers vs Arbroath
Preview
After reaching the quarter finals of the SPFL Trust Trophy quarter final last weekend by defeating Morton, Raith will hope to continue their winning ways, when Arbroath visit Stark's Park this Saturday.
The Red Lichties didn't fair quite so well in their own Challenge Cup tie last week, with a much changed side going down by five goals to one to Dunfermline, making it just one win in seven games for Dick Campbell's side, which came against Fraserburgh in the Scottish Cup.
Their last league win came back in October against Hamilton Accies, but that was very much a vital one, with the Angus currently ninth, two points better of than Accies, who are bottom.
Raith's last league win was also against Hamilton at the start of November, and a run of three straight defeats in the league has seen them slide down the table to seventh, seven points away from a coveted playoff spot.
This will be the sides second meeting this season, with the last coming at Gayfield in October, with a Sam Stanton goal enough for Rovers to take all three points.
However, Arbroath were the winners the last time the two sides met in Kirkcaldy in January of this year. Reghan Tumilty had given Rovers the lead at the end of the first half, but goals after the interval from Jack Hamilton and Nicky Low handed the Smokies a 2-1 victory.
Saturday's match referee will be Calum Scott.
Head-to-head record
Raith Rovers wins: 47
Arbroath wins: 34
Draws: 20
Reports
The game of 2 half’s
Raith Rovers started off the better side against Arbroath at a cold Stark's Park, with the early possession and a high press providing an early goal from a Ross Millen cross that Arbroath’s Ricky Little poked into the back of his own net. GOAL 1-0 Raith.
The Rovers then continued to dominate the game in the early stages but without too many penetrative passes. Arbroath had a decent Bobby Linn freekick saved by Andrew McNeil, but other than that, the Rovers were dominant. Ethan Ross unfortunately had to come off only 24 minutes into the game where he was replaced by Lewis Vaughan.
Unfortunately, from a Raith point of view the dominance did not turn into a half time lead as Arbroath scored an equaliser in the 44th minute after a beautiful freekick, the delivery landing on the head of Arbroath’s number 3 Colin Hamilton for him to nod into the back of the net. 1-1 HT.
The second half was by far the opposite from the first, as Arbroath started the better of the two sides with them passing the ball better than Raith and creating the better chances.
Rovers Man of the Match Andrew McNeil made a fantastic double save to keep his side in it.
The second half gradually faded, and became very poor with not many chances coming for either side until the last minute when a Connor O’Riordan header was cleared off the line by an Arbroath defender. FT 1-1.
Photos
PHOTOS © TONY FIMISTER & JIM FOY
Highlights
Interviews
Ian Murray spoke to RaithTV after today's draw at Stark's Park: