Dev League: Forfar Athletic 0 – 2 Raith Rovers

Match Report

Station Park, Forfar. 19th September 2017

Young Rovers take top spot after a tough battle with the young Loons.

Rovers took on a Forfar side which matched them at times in all departments, it was the lack of a final pass and positioning which prevented them from running riot.
Both sides showed intent, trading blows as it were, Forfar’s Smith was the first to break through, his shot going wide from 6 yards, followed by Bell running from half way to shoot over the bar from the edge of the box.

The closest either side came in the early exchanges was Kieran Dall, the recipient of a 1-2 with Court, forcing Otto to tip the ball over with a dipping shot just inside the area.
Rory Brian, rarely troubled in the first half was confident when called into action, first from a deep ball from Clark which he was quick to gather, then from a punch out, Starkey whipped the ball back into the box, but the young stopper was in the right spot to secure.

Rovers should have scored on the half hour when Smith delivered a great pass and with just the keeper to beat, Court fired wide from 16 yards out.
Finally, the deadlock was broken on the 40th minute with a sublime diagonal pass from just inside the Forfar half from Jack Smith to Jamie Watson who thundered away from his marker to bullet the ball past Otto into the postage stamp corner, 0-1

Forfar came out of the traps in the second half, the tall front men, Matthew Aitken and Mark Smith putting the Raith defence through the mill.
Firstly, it was Smith who cut in at the back post forcing MacDonald to stretch to deflect the ball from a tight angle.
Next it was Aitken, played through by Smith who saw his shot, then the rebound saved by the in-form Brian.

Rovers survived the onslaught and settled back into the game but only had half chances from Dall and Berry, likewise from Forfar, Johnston and Millar coming close with blocked efforts.
Four minutes from time any hope of a late leveller was extinguished when Court, wide right of the box played on Dall who saw Smith in the clear and two touches later saw the ball in the back of the net, Jack Smith tapping in from 3 yards at the back post, 0-2

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