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Queen’s Park 1 – 2 Raith Rovers

Raith Rovers picked up their first three points of the season on Saturday after overcoming Queen’s Park 2-1 in Glasgow.

Two goals either side of the break reflected a confident showing from The Rovers, but a subsequent goal from the hosts made for a nervy finish.

Dougie Imrie made three changes to the side that drew 1-1 against Stenhousemuir in the league’s opening game a week earlier. A couple of alterations in defence saw Paul Hanlon and Callum Fordyce start over Lewis Stevenson and Ross Millen – with the latter absent from the squad entirely. Lastly, a switch in the midfield involved Charlie Telfer starting over Dylan Easton. Newly announced loanee Calum Adamson made a six-man bench, with the 19-year-old joining on loan from Rangers just one day earlier.

Raith kicked off against a squad of familiar faces, with the likes of Jack Hamilton, Aidan Connolly, Callum Smith, and Euan Murray all starting for the opposition. The Spiders looked sharp in the opening five minutes or so, but Raith would settle soon enough.

The Rovers were forced into a change with just eight minutes on the clock, with Adamson making his debut as he replaced an injured Aaron Lyall in midfield. Adamson almost made an instant impact after getting on the ball in the box a couple of minutes later, but the loanee’s effort back across goal whistled past the far post in the end.

Raith kept the pressure up as the half went on, but a headed effort from Anton Dowd’s in the 27th, followed by a well-worked strike from Paul McMullan in the 34th, were ultimately both saved by Jack Wills, keeping things square as halftime approached.

The Rovers would go on to get their breakthrough though, after a neat bit of forward play created a pinball scenario in the hosts’ penalty area. Charlie Telfer pounced on the loose ball and got a shot on goal away, which was guided into the opposite corner via a deflection in the 39th – putting Raith ahead going into the break.

Queen’s Park again threatened in the first few minutes of the half, but Josh Rae wasn’t really called into action before Raith got back on the ball.

Raith were awarded a golden chance to double their lead after Telfer’s corner into the box struck the raised hand of Ricky Lamie in the 58th minute. With little to no protest, Penalty Rovers.

Anton Dowds stepped up to take – blasting the ball down the middle to notch his first goal for the club.

Queen’s Park started to press forward, which saw them win a handful of corners and free-kicks as they looked for a way back into the match. Such an opening would eventually come along after a set-piece into the box saw Ross McLean turn the ball in following a point-blank save from Rae. With around 15 minutes to go, the deficit was halved.

The Spiders didn’t let up, which saw the Raith defence work hell-for-leather in their pursuit of three points.

Rae would have the final say in the end, after Aiden McCallion’s half-volley from 22 yards out was acrobatically tipped over the bar by the Rovers’ shot stopper in the 92nd minute.

The final whistle went a couple of minutes later – awarding Raith with a hard-earned win on the road in their second match of the league season.

Next up: A free week awaits before The Rovers return to Starks Park to face Ayr United on the 22nd.

 

Written by Hamish Rankine.

Highlights

Live Updates

0'
Welcome from City Stadium - Queen’s Park v Raith- three changes to today’s line up, no Millen and Easton and Stevenson start in the bench. Starts for Hanlon, Fordyce and Telfer
0'
Raith get today’s game underway - shooting towards the wee hill this half
4'
Free kick Queen’s Park after Delaney fouls - taken quickly and play ends with Smith’s shot wide but takes a deflection and Queen’s Park corner
5'
Queen’s Park corner is played to the back post and goes out for a goal kick
5'
Robertson runs up the right cuts the ball into Lyall who is fairly challenged in the box
7'
↔️
Raith being forced into an early substitution as off goes Lyall and on comes Adamson for his debut in a Raith shirt
9'
Stewart for Queen’s Park tries to create a way through but runs out of options
10'
McMullan tries to go for the long shot - ball wide
11'
Robertson on the ball brings it in and low pass to Adamson who tries to low curl the ball into the goal but ball wide
16'
McMullan tries to thread the ball through to Dowds but Murray intercepts
18'
🟨
Booking for Fordyce
18'
Robertson runs through ball is in the air but Wills collects first
21'
Hamilton for Queen’s Park only has Rae to beat he slots the ball passed falls to the ground and ball goes wide of the post
23'
Freekick Raith after Adamson fouled by Martin
26'
Raith putting the pressure on the Queen’s defence McMullan keeps delivering balls deep into the Queen’s box
28'
Freekick Raith as Connelly fouls Rowe near Queen’s dugout
29'
Excellent timed interception by Hanlon as Queen’s make the break
33'
McMullan gets into the box he has a shot which Wills doesn’t collect and at the second bite McMullan can’t control and Wills smothers
34'
Corner Raith - Robertson plays it to far post Hanlon heads the ball towards goal but it goes wide
36'
Robertson has done well to track back and slide into dispersing the ball from the feet of Smith
40'
GOAL - as Raith threaten the Queen’s defence again, Montagu hits the ball but as it is deflected TELFER slots home
42'
Smith for Queen’s delivers a dangerous ball into the Raith box but Rowe gets there first and chests it to Rae
43'
Robertson cuts the ball into the Queen’s box but it doesn’t trouble Wills who collects
45'
+2 ref blows for half time Queen’s Park 0 Raith 1 (Telfer 40’) - decent first half from Raith but missed opportunities
45'
Queen’s get the second half underway - one change at half time Queen’s sub off Shiels and bring on Lamie
49'
Freekick Queen’s just outside 18yard box McDonnell takes it ball around the ball and kisses the post as it goes out for a goal kick
56'
Rowe attempts the pass the Robertson but ball intercepted
57'
Corner Raith - ball falls to centre of box and penalty Raith
58'
DOWDS takes it and fires the ball down the middle with Wills diving to his right
59'
↔️
Queen’s make a double substitution as off go McDonnell and Smith and on come Ruth and McLean
62'
Queen’s corner ball played deep and no one to pick it up play ends with the ball back in the Raith box and out again for. Queen’s corner
65'
Queen’s are pushing the Raith defence as they take a few pop but Rae and the team do well
66'
Delaney is playing well this second half and putting in the challenges
67'
↔️
Triple substitution for Raith, off go Delaney, Robertson and Telfer - on come Easton, Stevenson and Brown
76'
Free kick Queen’s approx 20 yards out, ball played deep and it’s cleared from the line but put back in for McLean to score
77'
↔️
Double substitution for Queen’s as off go Martin and Stewart and on come McCallion and Lawson
79'
Queen’s fire in a low shot and Rae gets down to smother
85'
Cracking headed clearance from Fordyce as Queen’s press
86'
Fordyce’s free kick falls straight to the hands of Wills
87'
Queen’s are shouting for hand ball as the ball drops into the Raith box
87'
McLean has a pop and Tae gets down to smother
91'
Hanlon with a great header away Queen’s fire the ball back in which Rae tips over the bar - ball cleared from the corner
93'
Ref blows for full time Queen’s Park 1 (McLean 76’) Raith 2 (Telfer 40’, Dowds 58’p) - Raith take home first three points of the season after a well fought display

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