Match Preview: Rangers (Home)

Raith Rovers  v  Rangers  Friday 12th September 2014 Stark’s Park Kick off: 7.45pm

Admission:

This match is all-ticket. Tickets can be purchased from the Main Office on Friday 12th September from 9am until 2pm only.

Match Preview:

Raith Rovers and Rangers will duke it out in a league encounter for the first time in 17 years this Friday evening, as both clubs look to extend their impressive starts to the season. The two sides are only separated by goal difference, after winning three of their first four fixtures, with both clubs solitary defeat coming against Hearts.

A win for either side would, temporarily at least, see them go level on points with the Tyncastle club, who currently sit top of the Championship with a one hundred percent record.

Raith and Rangers last league match will be more warmly remembered by fans of the Ibrox club than it will be by the Rovers support. The 6-0 win for Rangers in April 1997, all but clinched their ninth Premier League title in a row, while at the same time, confirming Rovers relegation to the second tier. The game itself featured a splendid performance from Brian Laudrup, who was the architect of four goals, while grabbing a fifth for himself.

That same season did feature a more positive result for Raith Rovers against Rangers however, when they played out a 2-2 draw in November 1996. Kevin Twaddle put Rovers in front after some good work by Danny Lennon in the first half, but Rangers looked like they’d close the match out, after goals from Peter Van Voseen and Ally McCoist put them 2-1 up. However, Scott Thomson restored parity with just over 10 minutes remaining, after he was teed up by Peter Duffield. Tony Rougier almost won the game in the final minute, when his shot struck the crossbar in injury time.

While Raith memorably won the last encounter between these two teams back in April in the Ramsdens Cup final, you need to go back to March 1970 for their last league win over the Govan side. Alan Miller had given Raith the lead in the first half, before Andy Penman equalised. With Rangers expected to win handsomely, it was a huge surprise when Brian Cooper dispossessed John Greig, before chipping Rangers German goalkeeper Geey Neef, who had strayed a couple of yards off his line.

There have been twelve league meetings since that Raith victory, and Rangers have come out on top on eight occasions, with four ending all-square.

Friday evening’s match referee will be Brian Colvin

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

Raith Rovers wins: 8 | Rangers wins: 25 | Draws: 7

Raith Rovers goals: 48 | Rangers goals: 86

Biggest home win:

08/12/1956 First Division Raith Rovers 5 Rangers 1

Biggest away win:

15/04/1997 Premier Division Raith Rovers 0 Rangers 6

Top Goalscorers:

Raith Rovers: Ryan Conroy 4 | Calum Elliot 2

Rangers: Kris Boyd 5 | Lee McCulloch 3

Match Odds:

Raith Rovers: 19/4 | Rangers: 11/20 | Draw: 33/10

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