Match Preview: Dumbarton (Home)

Raith Rovers v Dumbarton Saturday 12th April 2014 Stark’s Park, Kirkcaldy Kick off: 3.00pm

Match Preview: 
Ramsdens Cup champions Raith Rovers welcome Dumbarton to Stark’s Park this Saturday, as they look to build on Sunday’s success, and close the gap between themselves, and the teams above them.

Recent meetings between these two sides have tended to be high scoring affairs, with the last 7 league meetings producing 33 goals. The teams last met in February in one of the games of the season, as a double from Gordon Smith and a goal from John Baird, earned Raith a 3-3 draw.

Raith have a good recent record against Saturday’s opponents, losing just once to Ian Murray’s side in the last ten meetings, which was a 4-2 defeat in March 2013. Dumbarton’s last league win at Stark’s Park came in December 1983, although they have won at the venue on Scottish Cup duty twice since then, firstly in 1984, and more recently in a second round tie in 2006.

Like Raith Rovers, Dumbarton go into the match on a high, after goals from Mark Gilhaney, Garry Fleming, Scott Agnew and Chris Kane, secured a 4-1 win over Alloa Athletic. With Queen of the South taking on Falkirk on Saturday, a win for Dumbarton, could potentially see them go level on points with the Dumfries side, in the race for the final play-off spot.

A win for Raith would take them onto 42 points, just 3 behind 5th placed Dumbarton, with a game in hand.

Saturday’s match referee will be Craig Charleston

What The Manager Said:

Manager Grant Murray became part of a very exclusive club on Sunday, as he became just the second Raith Rovers manager after Jimmy Nicholl, to lead the club to a cup victory. Speaking on Thursday, he admitted that the achievement had just started to sink in, “It probably took a couple of days but it has now. Sunday was a fantastic occasion, and something which is great to look back on, and actually a bit surreal. The celebrations at the end were incredible, and they’re what make cup finals so special, especially for clubs like ourselves that haven’t been in one for so long.”

“For everyone involved on Sunday, from the players to the fans, the scenes at the end were really great. It was an incredible feeling, and such an amazing thing to be a part of.”

“When you hear the guys that were involved from the 1994 team, talking abut their experiences, it sounds unbelievable, but when the current players hear the stories, I really think it helps them. If anything, I think it spurs them on, and gives them a massive lift. It made the players think about how much they wanted to be a part of something similar. ”

“We see that part of Raith’s history day-in-day-out, when we walk past the pictures that are in the hallways of Stark’s Park, and that’s great for the current squad. Not only do the walls show them that part of the clubs history, they’ll now remind them that they’re part of that history too.”

Sunday’s victory means the Murray’s name will now be bracketed with the other successful managers of the last few decades, such as Frank Connor, Jimmy Nicholl and John McGlynn. Grant explained that he phoned the latter of those men, soon after the final whistle blew,

“I was very proud to lead the players out on Sunday, on what was such a massive occasion. To be mentioned in the same breath as some of the former managers this club has had is fantastic. I actually had a message on my phone from John on Sunday, congratulating me, and I phoned him back to thank him, because if it wasn’t for him, then I wouldn’t be at the club, so I’m very grateful, to him, and of course the directors, for giving me this opportunity.”

Raith can’t rest on their laurels however, and this week sees the resumption of league duty, as Dumbarton are the visitors to Stark’s Park,

“That’s the thing about football, unless it’s the last game of the season, there’s always another game around the corner, so we need to move on. We obviously celebrated Sunday’s achievements, and I gave the players Monday off, but we were right back into it on Tuesday, because Saturday is a massive game.”

“We need to pick up as many points as possible between now and the end of the season. Dumbarton are just outside the play-off’s, and they’ll feel that they can end up in them, so we need to put all of our focus onto this game.”

Head-to-Head League Record at Stark’s Park:

Raith Rovers wins: 32 | Dumbarton wins: 10 | Draws: 10

Raith Rovers goals: 113 | Dumbarton goals: 61

Top Goalscorers in All Competitions:

Raith Rovers: Greig Spence 10, Calum Elliot 10, Joe Cardle 7, John Baird 7

Dumbarton: Chris Kane 10, Mitch Megginson 9, Bryan Prunty 7

Match Odds:

Raith Rovers: 11/10 | Dumbarton: 21/10 | Draw: 14/5

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