Raith Rovers 1 Dunfermline 0
Saturday, 28th Oct 2023cinch Championship: five Dunfermline changes. Benedictus return lasts just one half. Sam Stanton (90+3) 1-0:
The third Fife derby of the season and it was not even the end of October. Dunfermline made five changes from the side that lost to Ayr United. Chris Hamilton, Michael O’Halloran, Ben Summers, Joe Chalmers and Craig Wighton dropped out to make way for Paul Allan, Sam Fisher, Owen Moffat, Alex Jakubiak and captain Kyle Benedictus. Summers absence was due to a dead leg sustained against Ayr while the other four were on the subs bench.
Raith Rovers made three changes with Ross Millen, Euan Murray and Josh Mullin coming in for the benched trio of Adam Masson, Aidan Connolly and Dylan Easton.
The autumn sun shone on the 1986 strong travelling support who were housed in the Craiglea Timber Frames Stand and the teams changed ends before Raith kicked off attacking the goal in front of the home support. The visitors forced an early corner and Fisher met Allan’s glancing header to test the home defences all within the first 90 seconds. Dunfermline certainly started the better team and looked dangerous, the Rovers attempts to go forward ended up with overhit balls.
The next shot on target came from Aaron Comrie when he got the break of the ball and was able to the ball inside and fire a good left footed shot that Kevin Dabrowski dived to his right to save. Pressure was piled on Raith with Jakubiak getting into a good position in front of goal and then Moffat smashing an on target effort from the edge of the box that got blocked.
The first thing for the home support to cheer was the 14th minute corner when Josh Edwards was forced to head behind a McGill cross to the back post. The corner and two subsequent throw ins from deep up the left deployed the Pars defence.
Jakubiak responded sending Lewis McCann up the left and Dunfermline had a corner of their own. Fisher’s header on Allan’s cross was deflected for another but that was defended before the ball could be sent in. Next home captain, Scott Brown clipped the ball behind when under pressure from McCann but Raith survived yet another Allan delivery.
Then in 26 minutes the home side were set up with a very good chance. Millen’s cross from the right touchline was met by Lewis Vaughan but he hooked his shot over the crossbar from 15 yards out. Ewan Otoo was shown yellow three minutes later for his challenge on Mullin and from the free kick Rovers earned a corner. The corner created danger but McCann cleared the ball at the back post.
Byrne and McGill then exchanged passes before the 30 year-old former Pars man fired wildly into the Penman Stand. Alex Jakubiak then required the physios on after he came off second best in a challenge with the big Polish keeper as they both went for a long through ball.
Showing no pains, the Pars striker was on the end of a good move that led to a fine delivery from the right but his attempt at goal was stopped by a defender. A 45th minute corner from the right fell to Rhys Breen but his shot went wide right. The half had been closing with Dunfermline having the upper hand but they had to defend an added time corner. It had been a fine first 45 from the visitors but would have been even better had they managed to get one past Dabrowski.
Half time: Raith Rovers 0 Dunfermline 0
Kyle Benedictus did not reappear for the second half and it was Chris Hamilton who emerged wearing the captain’s armband. After just five minutes of the half Byrne was a bit high on his tackle on McCann. The physios attention was required but the big man was soon back in the battle.
Dunfermline tested the 25 year old Rovers keeper twice in 56 minutes. Edwards cut the back back for Moffat on the left side of the box. The on-loan Blackpool player spun and released a fine shot that Dabrowski beat away and then pulled off an equally good effort from Comrie as he followed up.
The home side had come into the game without testing Deniz Mehmet and James McPake made his first substitution twenty minutes into the second half, Michael O’Halloran replacing Owen Moffat. Within a minute Raith brought on former Par Aidan Connolly for Scott McGill.
Mehmet was having a quiet afternoon but on 70 minutes Connolly teed up Vaughan for a shot from 25 yards out and diving to his left the Pars keeper saved the net bound effort and then held Millen’s return from the right. Another sub apiece saw Craig Wighton on in place of Lewis McCann and Dylan Easton on for Josh Mullin. In between Edwards crashed a ball across the face of goal and was not far away from finding the top corner.
Chasing a high ball in towards the Pars goal Breen pulled up with what looked like a hamstring injury. He was helped off by the two physios with midfielder Joe Chalmers subbed on and Ewan Otoo going back into the back three.
Edwards created another opportunity in 88 minutes when he received a pass from Wighton and his cross was just missed by the flying in Comrie. Easton pumped an 90th minute free kick straight into the hands of Mehmet before another Edwards ball through the Raith six yard box narrowly evaded both Wighton and Comrie.
Raith had barely had a shot all game but in the third minute of the eight that were eventually added on, Sam STANTON rifled in a low shot to win the match. It was a cruel outcome and although there was a strong response to snatch an equaliser from a Joe Chalmers corner it would be another defeat.
Raith would admit that it wasn’t their best performance of the season and didn’t give their fans much to cheer but they claimed the three points. Dunfermline remained in eighth place.
SUBS NOT USED: Callum Hannah, Andrew McNeil (GK)
SCORERS: Stanton (90+3)
YELLOW CARD: Easton (90+6),
DUNFERMLINE: Deniz Mehmet: Sam Fisher, Kyle Benedictus (c) (Chris Hamilton HT), Rhys Breen (Joe Chalmers 81), Aaron Comrie, Paul Allan, Ewan Otoo, Josh Edwards: Owen Moffat (Michael O’Halloran 65), Alex Jakubiak, Lewis McCann (Craig Wighton 75)
SUBS NOT USED: Miller Fenton, Liam Hoggan, Harrison Sharp (GK), Max Little (GK)
YELLOW CARD: Otoo (29), Allan (90+2), Fisher (90+6), Mackay (FT)
REFEREE: Iain Snedden
WEATHER: Cloudy 12°C
ATTENDANCE 5925
NEXT MATCH: cinch Championship (away) v Morton, Friday 3rd November 2023, kick off 7.45pm at Cappielow Park
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Match Photos To Follow.
Preview Raith Rovers
Tuesday, 24th Oct 2023cinch Championship (away) v Raith Rovers, Saturday 28th October 2023, 3.00pm kick off at Stark’s Park
It is two seasons back since Dunfermline and Raith Rovers met in the league. Both matches at Stark’s Park in 2021-2022 were drawn. The Viaplay Cup tie played there in July this year also ended up all square meaning Dunfermline have not won a match in Kirkcaldy since January 2017, eight visits back.
Milestones v Raith Rovers (away)
Last Victory | 02/01/17 | 2-0 | Championship
Last Defeat | 08/05/21 | 2-0 | Premiership play off
Best Victory | 29/10/94 | 5-2 | Div One (old)
Worst Defeat | 01/01/83 | 0-6 | Div One (old)
Last Goalless Draw | 02/01/22 | 0-0 | Championship
First League Meeting | 24/03/28 | 1-5 | Div One (old)
Last time at Stark’s Park
Raith Rovers 1 Dunfermline 1
Saturday 15th July 2023, Viaplay Cup
The first competitive match of the 2023-2024 season took Dunfermline to Stark’s Park for a tasty derby match in the group stages of the Viaplay Cup.
Lewis McCANN opened the scoring when his solo run in from the left allowed him to rifle the ball into the far side of the Rovers net and on the half hour it was 0-1.
The derby atmosphere went up a notch when Raith Rovers scored a 38th minute equaliser. It looked like a dangerous Vaughan cut back had been cleared but Dylan EASTON gathered and forced his way into the Pars box to chip the ball into the far left of the Dunfermline goal. 1-1
There was no further scoring but Dunfermline lifted the two points by winning the penalty shoot-out 4-2 after Jamie Gullan and Lewis Vaughan failed to net.
RAITH ROVERS: Kevin Dabrowski: Scott McGill, Dylan Corr, Keith Watson (c), Liam Dick: Callum Smith (Kieran Mitchell 87), Sam Stanton (Aaron Arnott 88), Dylan Easton, Josh Mullin (Jack Hamilton 69): Jamie Gullan, Lewis Vaughan
SUBS NOT USED: Adam Masson, Andrew McNeil (GK), Robbie Thomson (GK)
DUNFERMLINE: Deniz Mehmet: Sam Fisher, Kyle Benedictus (c), Rhys Breen (Paul Allan 61): Aaron Comrie, Ewan Otoo, Joe Chalmers, Josh Edwards: Matty Todd: Craig Wighton (Michael O’Halloran 61), Lewis McCann
SUBS NOT USED: Miller Fenton, Taylor Sutherland, Andrew Tod, Liam Hoggan, Max Little (GK)
Last Twelve Meetings
Honours are even over the last dozen games. Dunfermline have won two of the last twelve meetings, lost four and six have been drawn.
26/08/23 | H | Dunfermline 0 Raith Rovers 1 | L | Championship
15/07/23 | A | Raith Rovers 1 Dunfermline 1 | D | Viaplay Cup
06/04/22 | H | Dunfermline 2 Raith Rovers 0 | W | Championship
02/01/22 | A | Raith Rovers 0 Dunfermline 0 | D | Championship
26/10/21 | H | Dunfermline 1 Raith Rovers 1 | D | Championship
29/09/21 | A | Raith Rovers 1 Dunfermline 1 | D | Championship
08/05/21 | A | Raith Rovers 2 Dunfermline 0 | L | Premiership Play Off
04/05/21 | H | Dunfermline 0 Raith Rovers 0 | D | Premiership Play Off
27/03/21 | A | Raith Rovers 5 Dunfermline 1 | | L | Championship
03/02/21 | H | Dunfermline 4 Raith Rovers 1 | W | Championship
05/12/20 | A | Raith Rovers 2 Dunfermline 2 | D | Championship
19/01/19 | A | Raith Rovers 3 Dunfermline 0 | L | Scottish Cup
Recent Form
Dunfermline have now lost back to back league games and have just two wins from their last eight matches. They have lost only one of their four away league games this season.
Raith Rovers have won nine of their fifteen matches this season, drawn four and lost two. The Rovers have lost only once in the league this season – away to Airdrieonians – and their other defeat this season was at Easter Road when Hibernian won 2-1.
Last six matches
DUNFERMLINE
Ayr United (H) L 0-1
Partick Thistle (A) L 0-3
Morton (H) W 3-1
Queen’s Park (A) W 2-0
Dundee United (A) L 0-3
Inverness Caley Thistle (A) D 1-1
RAITH ROVERS
Cliftonville (H) W 3-0
Montrose (H) W 3-1
Dundee United (H) D 1-1
Ayr United (A) W 2-1
Airdrieonians (A) L 0-1
Inverness Caley Thistle (H) W 1-0
Last time out
DUNFERMLINE (v Ayr United): Deniz Mehmet: Aaron Comrie, Rhys Breen (Paul Allan HT), Ewan Otoo: Chris Hamilton (c) (Sam Fisher 32): Michael O’Halloran, Ben Summers, Joe Chalmers (Owen Moffat 32), Josh Edwards: Craig Wighton (Alex Jakubiak 63), Lewis McCann.
SUBS NOT USED: Miller Fenton, Harrison Sharp (GK), Max Little (GK).
RAITH ROVERS (v Montrose): Kevin Dabrowski: Liam Dick, Scott Brown, Scott McGill, Adam Masson, Aidan Connolly, Sam Stanton , Shaun Byrne (Calum Hannah 73), Dylan Easton (Josh Mullin 63), Lewis Vaughan, Callum Smith
SUBS NOT USED: Andrew McNeil (GK)
Referee will be Iain Snedden.
Other cinch Championship fixtures
Dundee United v Arbroath (Friday)
Queen’s Park v Partick Thistle (Friday)
Ayr United v Morton
Inverness Caley Thistle v Airdrieonians
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