Preview

After racking up the miles through playing four away games in the last few weeks, Raith Rovers have a home game at last this weekend, and it's a big one, with third placed Partick Thistle the visitors at Stark's Park.

After taking advantage of Dundee United's inactivity last weekend, to move to within one point of the leaders thanks to another last gasp win, this time against Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Ian Murray's men know a win on Friday will take them to the summit of the Championship, at least temporarily.

The stakes are big for Partick Thistle too though, and while the focus has been on the top two in the division, Kris Doolan's side can close the gap to Raith to just two points with a win on Friday, with Dundee United just a further point ahead.

After narrowly missing out on promotion to the top flight last time out, Partick Thistle were expected to be in playoff contention at the very least this time around.

While the start to their season was inconsistent, they're now on a run of six games unbeaten, with their only defeat since the end of September coming against Dundee United.

Raith and Partick's other game this season, back on the opening day of the league campaign, was something of a blockbuster, and perhaps a portent of what Rovers fans were to expect.

Trailing 2-0 with just seven minutes to go, Rovers appeared to be leaving Maryhill with nothing, but a deflected effort from Dylan Easton gave the travelling support hope with seven minutes remaining, before an equaliser from Kieran Mitchell in the last minute sparked wild celebrations in the away end.

Home advantage seems to count a lot in this fixture, with Rovers winning just twice in their last 10 visits to Firhill, while Partick have enjoyed similarly little success in Kirkcaldy in recent years.

They've now went eight games without a win at Stark's Park, with their last victory back in March 2011.

Friday night's match referee will be Alan Muir.

Head to Head Record

Raith Rovers Wins: 51

Partick Thistle Wins: 70

Draws: 40

Reports

Resistant Raith Rovers go top of the league

This match was finely poised as it was Raith’s first home game since the 4th of November, whilst also being second placed Raith Rovers against third placed Partick Thistle.

Partick made the first big chance of the game, only a couple of minutes after kick off, with a Brian Graham diving header that Kevin Dabrowski expertly pushed away from danger.
It didn’t take long for Raith to force Sneddon at the other end to make an intelligent save from Sam Stanton’s audacious effort from distance, to put it over for a corner.

Raith won another corner moments later, in the 13th minute, that was cleverly delivered by Stanton when he played the ball short to Josh Mullin. He laid the ball back to Stanton, and he whipped the ball to the back post for the high rising Daniel O’Reilly to head the ball past Sneddon to score his first Raith Rovers goal. GOAL RAITH 1-0!

Raith continued to pile the pressure on the Partick defence creating multiple chances, the biggest was when Hamilton wriggled his way through the defence and got his shot away but it was denied by a great save from Sneddon. Raith also created some good half chances from distance; however they were comfortably saved.

Half Time: Raith Rovers 1 - 0 Partick Thistle

The second half started in a very similar fashion to the majority of the first, with Raith looking dangerous. It only took Raith until the 47th minute to double their lead after Sneddon’s poor clearance found Dylan Easton and he made no mistake, smashing the ball low and hard past a full stretch Sneddon from around 20 yards away from goal. GOAL RAITH 2-0!

It only took 4 minutes for Partick to get a goal back after a delightful freekick took an unfortunate touch off earlier goalscorer O’Reilly, unfortunately turning the ball into his own net off his thigh. GOAL PARTICK 2-1!

Partick soon found an equaliser after being awarded a penalty for hand ball against Euan Murray. The penalty was expertly dispatched by Brian Graham in the 59th minute. GOAL PARTICK 2-2!

In the 69th minute Raith found themselves behind after a deep cross to the back post was headed across goal to be tapped in from 1 yard out by Blair Alston. GOAL PARTICK 2-3!

Soon after the 5th goal of an entertaining match Rovers manager Ian Murray made 3 changes Smith, Connolly and Brown taking the field in place of Vaughan, Mullin and Murray. It only took Callum Smith 10 minutes to make a huge impact, scoring a goal as he drove the ball in at the near post in the 79th minute to equalise. GOAL RAITH 3-3!

It only took another 4 minutes for Raith Rovers to fully turn the game around and regain the lead after Scott Brown took a quick free kick in centre midfield out to Connolly. The wide man played a good pass to Smith in the right wing position and he played the ball back across the face of goal for Sam Stanton to run on to a perfectly weighted ball. Without breaking his stride Stanton drove the ball home, sending Rovers back to the top of the league table until at least dinner time tomorrow. GOAL RAITH 4-3!

Full Time: Raith Rovers 4 - 3 Partick Thistle

Photos

Highlights

Interviews

Shaun Byrne spoke to RaithTV after Rovers' 4-3 win at Stark's Park: Ian Murray spoke to RaithTV after the 4-3 win at Stark's Park: