Club 09/10/2014
Match Preview: Queen of the South (Home)
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Raith Rovers v Queen of the South Friday 10th October 2014 Stark’s Park, Kirkcaldy Kick off: 7.35pm |
Admission Prices:
Adults – £17 | Students – £13 | Concessions* – £9 | Parent & Child – £20
Disabled – Half price
*Concessions are under 16s, over 65s and jobseekers. Both full time students and jobseeker tickets can only be purchased from the main office at Stark’s Park. Jobseekers must show satisfactory proof of entitlement along with photographic I.D and students must show a valid matriculation card – expired student cards will not be accepted.
Please note there is road works on and around the main access routes to the stadium which will cause delays and limit on street parking. Spectators should be advised to arrive early if travelling across the Forth Road Bridge or avoid using it completely. Queen of the South support will be seated in the upper tier of the North Stand.
Preview:
Raith Rovers will complete their final match of the opening quarter of the season this Friday night, as they look to move second in the table, with a win over their visitors, Queen of the South.
Both sides went up against capital opponents last weekend, and while Raith were leaving Easter Road with a creditable, and richly deserved point, James Fowler’s Queen’s side were losing 3-0 at home to league leaders Heart of Midlothian.
While the three goal losing margin suggests a comfortable victory for Robbie Neilson’s men, the result is slightly misleading, in that the Palmerston outfit dictated events for the opening half-hour or so, and could have opened the scoring before Osman Sow put the visitors in front. Prince Buaben extended the lead before half-time, before Jordan McGhee made the points safe with a third goal just before the hour mark. The defeat kept the Dumfries side in fourth place in the table, one position and three points behind Raith Rovers, although a win for Queens’ on Friday, would see them leapfrog Rovers in the table, due to a superior goal difference.
To do so however, they’ll need to buck the trend of last season, which saw Raith take 9 points out of a posible 12 against the Doonhamers, the most they plundered from any side in the Championship.
Both matches at Stark’s Park ended up as home wins, and both were sealed with late goals. Calum Elliot scored twice in a 2-1 win last November, while a John Baird goal nine minutes from time, sealed a 3-2 win in April, after Paul Watson and Joe Cardle had given Rovers a two goal lead inside the opening ten minutes.
If Raith could muster up a win, then it would move them onto 17 points for the opening quarter of the campaign, making it their most productive start to a campaign since the 2010-11 season, which saw Raith challenge for the title with Dunfermline Athletic.
A win will be far from easy however, against a Queen of the South side who seem more prolific away from home than they do at Palmerston Park. With 8 away goals this season, only Championship front runners Hearts have found the net more on their travels.
Raith have the upper hand in recent league meetings between the sides, with six wins to Queen of the South’s four.
Friday’s referee will be Alan Muir.
Head-to-Head League Record at Stark’s Park:
Raith Rovers wins: 25 | Queen of the South wins: 15 | Draws: 8
Raith Rovers goals: 89 | Queen of the South goals: 52
Biggest Home Win: 30/10/1926 Division Two Raith Rovers 7 Queen of the South 2
29/04/1967 Division Two Raith Rovers 7 Queen of the South 2
Biggest Away Win: 19/08/1967 League Cup Group Game Raith Rovers 2 Queen of the South 5
Recent Form:
Raith Rovers: L-W-L-W-D-D
Queen of the South: L-L-D-W-L-L
Top Goalscorers in All Competitions:
Raith Rovers: Ryan Conroy 4 | Calum Elliot 2 | Christian Nade 2
Queen of the South: Iain Russell 6 | Derek Lyle 4 | Gavin Reilly 4
Match Odds:
Raith Rovers: 29/20 | Queen of the South: 7/4 | Draw: 12/5