Preview Raith Rovers

The Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Third Round (home) v Raith Rovers, Friday 24th November 2023, kick off 7.45pm

The Pars will hope to take advantage of the home draw in this cup derby. While the Kirkcaldy side have won both the Championship fixtures this season by 1-0, Ian Murray, the Raith manager, has admitted that his team has found Dunfermline difficult opponents to overcome. The first meeting this season was at Stark’s Park in the Viaplay Cup, a game Dunfermline won on penalties.

A Scottish Cup tie against Raith Rovers is a relative rarity, the last Scottish Cup meeting was in January 2019. It was in the Scottish Cup that these sides first met in Dunfermline one hundred years ago and it has been 38 years since the Rovers came to KDM Group East End Park for a Scottish Cup tie. The record in this competition reveals three wins apiece.

The full Scottish Cup Record v Raith Rovers

19/01/2019 | Raith Rovers 3-0 Dunfermline
07/12/1985 | Dunfermline 2-0 Raith Rovers
05/02/1972 | Raith Rovers 2-0 Dunfermline
25/01/1969 | Raith Rovers 0-2 Dunfermline
10/02/1923 | Dunfermline 0-3 Raith Rovers
07/09/1889 | Raith Rovers 1-2 Dunfermline

Milestones v Raith Rovers (home)

Last Home Victory | 06/04/22 | 2-0 | Championship

Last Home Defeat | 20/08/23 | 0-1 | Championship

Best Home Victory | 08/09/62 | 6-0 | Division One (old)

Best Home Victory | 01/01/68 | 6-0 | Division One (old)

Worst Home Defeat | 19/11/27 | 0-4 | Division One (old)

Last Goalless Home Draw | 04/05/21 | 0-0 | Premiership Play Off

First Ever Home Meeting | 10/02/23 | 0-3 | Scottish Cup

Last time in Scottish Cup
Saturday 19th January 2019
Raith Rovers 3 Dunfermline 0

The first Scottish Cup tie between these rivals for over 33 years attracted a crowd of over 6000, filling parts of Starks Park that many had forgotten about. The home manager, John McGlynn said in his programme notes that he hoped that all connected with Dunfermline would enjoy a traditional San Starko welcome!

Ten minutes into the second half and still at 0-0 the cup tie changed as a result of a red card shown to Pars captain Lee Ashcroft, deemed to be for a last man foul 20 yards out on Chris Duggan.

Raith went ahead from a 70th minute penalty. Mark Durnan tussled with Duggan in the box, referee Madden pointed to the penalty spot. Lewis VAUGHAN stepped up and found the left side of the net. 1-0

Raith Rovers struck again in 79th minute after a strong run up the right by Duggan to latch on to a through ball from Euan Murray. His cross was met with a stylist diving header from VAUGHAN 2-0.

To make matters worse a defensive mistake two minutes later let VAUGHAN in to complete his first ever hat trick at professional level as he crashed the ball home from the edge of the box for 3-0. For the 2794 travelling Pars fans the cup knock out was a bitter defeat.

RAITH ROVERS: Robbie Thomson: Euan Murray, Iain Davidson, Kyle Benedictus, Calum Crane: Dan Armstrong (Liam Buchanan 88), Grant Gillespie, Nat Wedderburn, Nathan Flanagan, Lewis Vaughan: Chris Duggan.
SUBS NOT USED: Tony Dingwall, Jamie Watson, David McKay, Ross Matthews, Jack Smith, Dean Lyness (GK).

DUNFERMLINE: Lee Robinson: James Craigen, Lee Ashcroft (c), Danny Devine, Jackson Longridge: Tom Beadling: Myles Hippolyte (Mark Durnan 57), Joe Thomson, James Vincent, Kallum Higginbotham (Matthew Todd 90): Faissal El Bakhtaoui (Robbie Muirhead 71).
SUBS NOT USED: Aidan Connolly, Callum Smith, Paul Allan, Cammy Gill (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.



19/10/23 | A | Raith Rovers 1 Dunfermline 0 | Championship
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



Recent Form

Raith Rovers are on an eight game unbeaten run since they lost 1-0 away to Airdrieonians in September. Their only other defeat this season was in the Viaplay Cup away to Hibernian. They have only failed to score once in their 20 outings this season. They have conceded in every away match this season except their match in Dunfermline.

Dunfermline have won 6 of their 17 matches this season. Three of those wins are in the last eight matches. Despite not defeating the Rovers in the two league games between the sides this season, the Pars have competed well when it comes to matches between the sides.

League Stats



DUNFERMLINE

League Position: 
5th
League Points: 
15
Goal Difference: -1
Home League Record: P6 W2 D1 L3 GF7 GA
7
Last Six Match Form: LLLWLX
D

RAITH ROVERS

League Position: 2nd

League Points: 27

Goal Difference: +7

Away League Record: P6 W4 D1 L1 GF10 GA7

Last Six Match Form: WWWDWX

Last six matches



DUNFERMLINE

Inverness Caley Thistle (H) D 1-1
Dundee United (H) L 1-2
Morton (A) W 2-1
Raith Rovers (A) L 0-1
Ayr United (H) L 0-1

Partick Thistle (A) L 0-3



RAITH ROVERS

Hamilton Academical (A) W 4-1
Queens Park (A) W 3-2
Airdrieonians (H) D 1-1
Morton (A) W 2-1
Dunfermline (H) W 1-0
Montrose (H) W 3-1

Last Time Out

DUNFERMLINE (v Inverness CT): Deniz Mehmet: Sam Fisher, Chris Hamilton (c), Ewan Otoo: Kane Ritchie-Hosler (Michael O’Halloran 70), Paul Allan, Joe Chalmers, Josh Edwards: Owen Moffat (Craig Wighton 70): Matty Todd (Alex Jakubiak 60), Lewis McCann.

SUBS NOT USED: Aaron Comrie, Miller Fenton, Harrison Sharp (GK), Max Little (GK)

RAITH ROVERS (v Hamilton Academical): Kevin Dabrowski: Ross Millen, Scott Brown, Adam Masson (Callum Hannah 45), Liam Dick: Shaun Byrne: Aidan Connelly, Sam Stanton (Dylan Corr 87), Dylan Easton: Jamie Gullan (Josh Mullin 86), Jack Hamilton (Callum Smith 78).
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis Vaughan, Robbie Thomson.

Other Scottish Cup ties

Cumnock Juniors v Broomhill

Partick Thistle v Queens Park

Morton v Bo’ness

Annan Athletic v Dumbarton

Stranraer v Airdrieonians

Dunbar United v Alloa Athletic

Broxburn Athletic v Buckie Thistle

Hamilton Academical v Kelty Hearts

Brora Rangers v Pollok

Clyde v Jeanfield Swifts

Montrose v Edinburgh City

Falkirk v Formartine United

Stirling Albion v Cove Rangers

Inverness Caley Thistle v Cowdenbeath

Peterhead v Ayr United

Tranent v Forfar Athletic

Queen of the South v Dundee United

The Spartans v Arbroath

Albion Rovers v Bonnyrigg Rose

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