RAITH ROVERS secured a priceless three points with a gritty win over Dundee at Stark’s Park last night, writes Neil Robertson.
The result takes the Kirkcaldy side seven points clear of Ayr in the first division relegation play-off spot.
While there was joy in the Raith camp, there was utter despair in the Dundee ranks with the defeat finally ending their slim chance of catching league leaders Inverness and consigning the Dark Blues to another season outwith the SPL.
Raith manager John McGlynn said, “The result was the most important thing tonight.
“The players have had a lot of games recently and have shown great spirit and been absolutely first class.
“We have taken a massive step towards first division survival.”
His counterpart Gordon Chisholm said, “For a team supposedly challenging for a championship, that was simply not good enough.
“That was not acceptable. If people want to stay at this club, they have to play a damn sight better than that.
“But full credit to Raith who deserved their win.”
McGlynn made two alterations from Monday night’s draw at Partick Thistle with Jamie Mole and Dougie Hill replacing Graham Weir and Darren Smith.
Chishom made wholesale changes from the side which drew so disappointingly with Morton last Saturday with Craig Forsyth, Maros Klimpl, Richie Hart, Pat Clarke and Sean Higgins coming in for Eddie Malone, Andrew Shinnie, Brian Kerr, Colin McMenamin and the injured Leigh Griffiths. Forty-nine-year-old goalkeeping coach Bobby Geddes was on the bench in the absence of Derek Soutar.
The game kicked off 15 minutes late at 8pm after the Dundee team bus broke down on the ramp leading into the stadium and had to be towed away.
Chisholm had promised his side would adopt an attacking, gung-ho approach and they certainly began the game strongly, but without creating any clear-cut chances against a Raith team playing their third match in five days.
In fact, as the game passed the first quarter mark, the only opportunity worthy of mention from either side had fallen to Higgins following an Eric Paton corner but the ball arrived too sharply for the striker to control and shoot from close range.
In the 23rd minute, Dundee goalie Tony Bullock rushed from his line to intercept a long through ball and pulled his right hamstring in the process.
Unable to continue, Bullock was replaced by Geddes—who turns 50 in August.
Eight minutes before the break, Dundee were awarded a free-kick 30 yards out from the Raith goal after Allan Walker tripped Hart.
Paton floated the ball on to the head of Ryan O’Leary, who flicked it on to Gary Harkins, but the midfielder’s own header towards goal was easily mopped up by Raith keeper David McGurn.
Considering what was at stake for both teams, neither manager would have been pleased by what their respective sides had produced in the first 45 minutes.
A response was expected and it was Raith who were first out of the traps as the second half began with Walker shooting from the edge of the Dundee box just after the restart, but his effort was comfortably saved by Geddes.
Dundee had a chance of their own just minutes later when Harkins pounced on some slack play in the Raith midfield and made an angle for himself before hitting a left-foot strike just wide of McGurn’s right post.
However, it was Raith who took the lead in the 53rd minute when a Grant Murray cross from the right was met by the head of Hill inside the Dundee box and he gave Geddes no chance with the ball flying just inside the keeper’s right post.
Chisholm’s men were stunned and could have fallen further behind just three minutes later when a Mole strike from the edge of the penalty area was only kept out by a diving save from the veteran Dundee stopper.
The keeper was exposed again in the 65th minute when Gregory Tade embarked on a trademark weaving break from inside his own half, beating several Dundee players in the process.
However, the Frenchman’s composure deserted him as he advanced on Geddes and he fluffed his shot with Mole desperate for him to square the ball so he could hit it into an empty net.
Three minutes later, Dundee had the ball in the net but the effort was chalked off by referee Law who booked substitute McMenamin for handling.
As the game edged towards its conclusion, Dundee continued to huff and puff without ever looking convincing while Raith were always dangerous on the break.
And they could have put the game to bed in injury time when Mole was sent clean through by Tade but Geddes made two excellent point-blank stops to deny him.
Attendance—1504.