Fri 17th May / 19:45 / Premiership 23/24 / / home
Raith Rovers vs Partick Thistle
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Raith Rovers rollercoaster
Raith started the game with a 2-1 aggregate lead, and in front of a packed Starks Park, knowing that they must not lose by more than 1 goal, or the promotion dream would perish.
Raith nearly put the tie to bed within 10 minutes, with an intelligent corner delivery low and hard towards the edge of the 18 yard box, from Kyle Turner, which found Scott Brown, his first time effort was well blocked, by a Partick defender, but the ball broke to Vaughan, but unfortunately his effort was the wrong side of the post.
On the 16th minute Partick’s number 23, Alston, levelled the tie on aggregate and put his side in front on the night, with a fantastic knuckle ball free kick from around 23 yards from goal. GOAL PARTICK 0-1 (2-2).
Raith Rovers managed to wrestle back the lead on aggregate, on the 30 minute mark, after Liam Dick delivered an absolute beauty of an early cross, finding his right back, Ross Matthews, arriving late at the back post heading the ball across goal finding the back of the net. GOAL RAITH 1-1 (3-2).
On the stroke of half time, Partick delivered a painful blow to Raith, after a long hopeful ball found Graham, he flicked the ball to Robinson, he then flicked the ball across goal with a backheel finding Alston, whos’ initial shot was incredibly stopped by Dabrowski, but he was able to tap home the rebound. GOAL PARTICK 1-2 (3-3). HT.
Partick came out for the second half looking the more likely to score, with a few half chances, although they did not test Dabrowski. Partick grew more and more into the game, coming close to scoring, but the Raith defence would not let anything go in, a prime example of this is when Partick had a corner which was flicked towards goal but, Scott Brown somehow managed to clear it of the line, but only as far as former Raith man Dan O’Reily, he struck the ball low towards the bottom corner, and Brown was there again to clear it off the line.
Partick continued to be the aggressors for the majority of the second half, testing Dabrowski and his defence, over and over again, but they passed the test every time. Partick nearly won the tie in the 90th minute, when Graham found himself one on one with Dabrowski, but he blazed it over the crossbar, keeping it level and forcing extra time. FT. (OF THE 90)
Raith started to get themselves off the ropes and put Partick on the ropes, creating a big chance through Vaughan with a volley that hit the wrong side of the side netting. HT (ET).
Partick managed to find the back of the net but it was disallowed for a pull on the arm of Scott Brown. FT (ET). (3-3) AGGREGATE
PENALTY SHOOTOUT
Partick took the first penalty scoring it, Dabrowski dived the wrong way.
Club captain Scott Brown stepped up to take the first penalty, but it was saved.
Partick’s second penalty was almost identical to the first, finding the back of the net and Dabrowski going the wrong way.
Turner stepped up to take the second penalty, going the same way as Brown, but this time it hit the back of the net.
Partick scored their third penalty in the same way as the other penalties, Dabrowski dived wrong again.
Hamilton stepped up to take Raith’s third penalty and he placed it into the top corner.
Partick missed their fourth penalty, dragging it past the post.
Easton levelled the score with his penalty whipped low and hard into the bottom corner.
Partick missed their fifth penalty hitting the post.
Lewis Vaughan, stepped up to the penalty spot doing keep ups, the calmest person in the stadium, knowing his penalty would bring his team closer to promotion.
The rest is history – he smashed the ball as hard as possible, Mitchell got a touch on the ball but it wasn’t enough to keep it out.
Raith are now through to the promotion play off final!
Raith win 4-3 on penalties!
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