Report

Raith’s good run of form continued on Saturday after narrowly coming out on top in a five-goal-thriller against Greenock Morton at Starks Park.

Despite having more than their fair share of the ball, Raith went into the break a goal down. The Rovers went on to take the lead in the second half, but a subsequent leveller from the visitors set the stage for a crucial Raith winner late on.

Dougie Imrie fielded the same starting eleven that prevailed in the Challenge Cup final against Inverness six days earlier, but was dealt with some reinforcements to his bench. Andy Winter and Jordan Doherty returned to the squad after being sidelined for a few weeks due to injury, giving Imrie eight substitutes to choose from on the day.

Morton kicked off the last Starks Park Saturday of the season and were put under a bit of pressure as Raith moved the ball well early on.

A corner in the 6^th minute saw Jai Rowe narrowly head over the bar, whilst Kai Monatgu’s through-ball to Innes Cameron saw the striker force a save from Murray Johnson around ten minutes later. Cameron got a couple more chances in the ten or so minutes that followed, but both efforts from inside the box were well blocked in the end.

Raith would come even closer in the 37^th minute after a recycled set-piece was worked towards the back post. Rowe got on the end of it, but his header crashed off the crossbar and out for a goal kick.

Morton had yet to test Josh Rae in the Rovers goal, but a simple move down the right in the 42^nd minute gave Cameron Blues the chance to get a shot on goal. Blues’ snap-shot from the right side of the box gave Rae little chance of making a save, flying into the top right corner with pace. After a positive but slow-looking start, Raith would go into halftime trailing the match.

Imrie made an early change in the second half, replacing Montagu with Scott Brown in the 49^th minute.

Raith took a while to properly get going, but things clicked around the hour mark after some direct play saw Paul Nsio pick up the ball in the box. The midfielder dropped his man and created a bit of time, which allowed him to move centrally before smashing the ball into the net from 15 yards out.

Raith didn’t let up, and were again back on the attack in the 66^th minute with Rowe tearing down the right wing on the overlap. His first-time ball to the back-post looked to have been dealt with by the Morton defence, but Innes Cameron fought his way in front and got the crucial touch needed to direct the ball goalwards from six yards out, putting Raith in the lead with just under 25 left to play.

Imrie made a triple change on the 70-minute mark, with Matthews, Cameron, and Rowe departing for Vaughan, Hamilton, and Doherty.

After conceding two goals in six minutes, Morton rallied and burst up the pitch in numbers as they searched for an equaliser. Such a goal would come in the 73^rd minute, with a quick bit of football culminating in Nathan Shaw slotting home with a first-time effort from around eight yards out.

Raith had the chance to re-take the lead a matter of seconds later after Doherty’s cross-ball effort struck the arm of Iain Wilson in the box. 76^th minute, Penalty Raith.

Easton stepped up to take and attempted to roll the ball in, but Johnson called his bluff, waiting until the strike before calmly collecting the bobbling effort down to his left – marking Easton’s second-ever penalty miss for the Rovers.

Jordan Doherty, having won the penalty in the first place, would ultimately ensure such a miss was nothing more than a footnote after getting on the end of Lewis Stevenson’s corner in the 83^rd minute. The substitute’s bullet header from six yards out gave Johnson no chance – putting Raith back into the lead with seven minutes to play.

Morton had a golden chance to snatch a point at the death after a botched clearance put Jackson Longridge in on goal from just six yards out. An equaliser looked a certainty, but a miraculous Schmeichel-esque stop from Rae ensured all three points would remain in Kirkcaldy.

Such a result makes it four wins out of five for Raith, ranking them in fifth place – nine points clear of any relegation conversation and seven points behind a promotion play-off place.

With four matches to go, Raith go on the road to Queen’s Park on Tuesday, followed by trips to Arbroath and St Johnstone, before returning to Starks for the final game of the season against Ross County on Friday the 1^st of May.

Written by Hamish Rankine.

Highlights

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