Report

Raith Rovers unveiled their new home strip in victorious fashion on Tuesday night after beating Alloa Athletic 4-1 at Starks Park, in their second of three pre-season friendlies.  

Barry Robson made three changes to the team that started against Linlithgow Rose three days earlier, with Montagu, Gibson, and a Trialist replacing Easton, Mullin, and Rowe. The trio joined Shaun Byrne on the bench, who returned to the squad after missing the Linlithgow match.  

Alloa kicked off Starks Park’s first taste of first-team football in sixty-eight days, and it didn’t take long for Raith to threaten. An early ball into the Alloa box found the head of Ross Matthews, but his effort from six yards out was palmed away by Alloa’s trialist keeper.  

Raith kept the football flowing however, and started a new move after Montagu smartly worked the ball wide from a central area. The youngster pushed forward off the ball and collected a through ball for his efforts, which left him clean through on goal. He selflessly opted to pass to an open Lewis Vaughan though – who slotted into an empty net for Raith’s first of the evening in the sixth minute.  

The Rovers continued to send shots towards Alloa’s goal as the half progressed and found the net again in the 44th minute after Richard Chin finished off an excellent pass into the box – provided by Brown.  

The halftime whistle sounded moments later, leaving Raith comfortably two goals up at the break after numerous chances, alongside a handful of tame Alloa efforts. Vaughan and Gibson made way for Rowe and Byrne before the second half got underway.  

Alloa crafted a few half-chances early on in the second half, but Josh Rae remained untroubled in the Raith net. The Rovers started to threaten again and found success again after Jordan Doherty regained possession around forty yards out. The midfielder took little time in clipping a pass towards the back post. Jai Rowe was free to collect and control the ball before drilling in from close range to score his first for the club, alongside Raith’s third of the night. The Rovers were cruising with over thirty-five minutes still to be played.  

Robson looked to his bench and made a couple more changes in the 62nd minute, with Matthews and a trialist coming off for Mullin and Easton.  

Raith had no plans to stop their attacking intentions as they continued to get passes in and around Alloa’s area. The away side cleared one of these passes in the 70th minute, but only as far as Josh Mullin, who had lurked around the penalty box. A deft touch set up Mullin’s chance for a half volley, and this was a chance which paid dividends after his shot rocketed into the net via the underside of the crossbar.  

A fifth never came for Raith despite a good number of chances towards the end, and Alloa pulled one back in the 84th minute after a long ball put a substitute trialist through on goal, who did well to find the net under pressure.   

The Rovers will be hoping to string together a similar performance when they visit newly promoted Falkirk this Saturday in their final pre-season friendly before the commencement of the League Cup on the 12th of July. 

Written by Hamish Rankine 

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