Raith Rovers 1 Ross County 2: Ian Murray vows to go on offensive as Stanton’s goal gives Kirkcaldy men playoff lifeline (2024)

SAM STANTON struck seven minutes from time to keep Raith Rovers’ Premiership dream alive.

Ian Murray’s side were on the ropes in this play-off final first leg after Yan Dhanda’s penalty and Jack Baldwin’s header put Ross County well ahead.

The Staggies were firmly in command but Stanton’s well-worked strike means life in Dingwall will be far more uncomfortable than it needed to be on Sunday.

County blew two chances to stay up automatically last week and while they’ll be confident of getting the job done at home, the way Raith finished this game will give them plenty of hope.

Don Cowie’s men will have to overcome their nerves against a side who have nothing to lose now.

It could – and should – have been different given how much in command County were from the start, creating two good chances in the opening minutes.

That contributed to a nervy start for Murray’s side, who were rushing everything so much they couldn’t get the ball down and play.

As a result it kept coming straight back to them, with County popping balls in behind almost at will.

And on 12 minutes they were nearly undone, when a mazy run by Dhanda created space to play in Murray but Ross Matthews stuck out a leg to deny him at the last second.

Raith finally got their act together and on 21 minutes created a decent opening with Matthews’ ball over the top for Aidan Connolly to chase.

He managed to get there ahead of Ryan Leak but was taken out by the defender, earning him a booking.

Connolly got the chance to whip the free kick in from the right but his cross was too high to make an impact.

Raith had another dead ball chance on 37 minutes, this time from a central position after Leak clambered all over Jack Hamilton.

That allowed Lewis Vaughan the chance to shoot but his effort was woeful, smacking straight into the wall.

Will Nightingale had a go for County right at the end of the first half but his shot was blocked, and from the corner his defensive partner Baldwin gathered the clearance, skipped past a man before shooting.

But Raith keeper Kevin Dabrowski had his front post well covered, saving with his legs.

The Fifers had to survive early in the first half and they made sure County had to do the same in the second.

Minutes after the restart they sent Connolly away down the right on the breakaway but despite cutting in to get a shooting angle, his effort flew just wide.

County hit back immediately though, carving an opening through Brown into King, whose shot from the edge of the box hit Murray’s outstretched arm.

The Staggies stars screamed for a spot kick, claiming the Raith man had handled and suddenly they had their first-ever VAR decision to contend with.

Video whistler Alan Muir flagged it up to John Beaton, who trotted to the monitor before pointing to the spot.

Dhanda stepped up to take it, smacking his effort high to the right, off the post and into the net on the other side.

There was a slice of good fortune attached to it, but the Hearts-bound playmaker struck it with such power he earned the break.

Connolly nearly hit back with a low drive after Ross Laidlaw came too far off his line and didn’t gather, but Leak blocked before it could sneak in.

Dabrowski has made a habit of making big saves this season and produced another one with 20 to go, diving to his left to push away another King long-ranger.

But from the corner the roof caved in on Murray’s men, with Baldwin powerfully meeting Dhanda’s cross to bullet a header past the Pole.

Just as County looked set to cruise to victory, Raith threw a spanner in the works with a superb goal from Stanton.

It was all about the pass from Shaun Byrne, who threaded in behind County’s defence for Matthews and his cutback was smashed high past Laidlaw.

Sub Josh Mullin then passed up a fantastic chance to level, slashing past the post from ten yards.

Dylan Corr then let County right off the hook by firing a header wide at the back post.

Cowie’s men were reeling in the closing stages. Cooler heads are needed on Sunday.

IAN MURRAY has vowed to go all-out attack on Ross County this Sunday.

The Raith Rovers boss watched his side roar back into their play-off final against the Premiership side.

Sam Stanton’s 83rd-minute strike clawed them back into the tie after Yan Dhanda’s second-half penalty and Jack Baldwin’s header put Don Cowie’s men in command.

And Raith had County on the ropes in the dying stages, missing two great chances to level.

Murray said: “We are back in the tie and we have nothing to lose now.

“It comes down to one game on Sunday afternoon.

“We’ll have a right go – that’s my gut feeling at the moment.

“The late goal gives us a chance. We know it will be difficult but we know what we have to do which is good.

“We looked good, we got that goal and our belief and started to play our game again, looking to get in behind them.

“I’m really pleased with the character we showed.

“To go 2-0 down was a blow. Two really poor goals from our point of view.

“But the guys deserve credit for hanging in.

“It’s difficult playing against a team that are at a higher level. We were just a bit sloppy at times, a bit rushed with the ball.

“A couple of tweaks helped us and most of the second half apart from 10 minutes I thought we were the better side.”

County gaffer Cowie felt his side deserved to take an advantage into the next game – but won’t be sitting back protecting their lead.

He said: “We have shown at home, playing on the front foot and trying to attack teams, that is when we are at our best.

“That’s why we have got results at home – and it will be no different on Sunday.

“I thought the performance deserved a lead.

“I’m disappointed we didn’t get the clean sheet, because once we went 2-0 up we started to look really comfortable.

“That’s the only real frustration. Apart from that, I’m really proud of the group.

“We knew there was going to be a big crowd, and rightly so for the great season they have had.

“We had not won away from home since September so I’m delighted.

“Momentum changes very quickly. You go from a situation where you’re looking comfortable and it can be 2-2 in the blink of an eye.

“That’s the lesson we need to learn.

“The message is that everything is still to play for.

“I’m really proud of the group but we’ve seen enough to know Raith can cause us problems.”

Man of the match Dhanda, who bagged his second spot kick in two games, added: “It was difficult. They are full of confidence and a very good team.

“We knew from the start we had to be right at it and I thought we were.

“We came out strongly and scored the penalty.

“I was quite confident with the penalty. Every time I step up, I’m confident.”

COUNTY boss Don Cowie said he thought his team merited their lead at the halfway point in this tie.

He said: “I thought the performance deserved a lead. I’m disappointed we didn’t get the clean sheet, because once we went 2-0 up we started to look really comfortable.

“That’s the only real frustration. Apart from that, I’m really proud of the group.

“We spoke about the couple of days leading into it. We knew there was going to be a big crowd, and rightly so for the great season they have had.

“It was important we tried to keep them quiet for as long as possible. I thought we had done that really well until the last seven or eight minutes of the game.

“I’m sure at 2-0 they would still believe in themselves. I just felt we should have seen the game out to have a 2-0 lead going into the second leg, because at that stage we started to look really confident and passed the ball about really well.

“If anything we could maybe have got the third.

“We have shown at home, playing on the front foot and trying to attack teams, that is when we are at our best.

“That’s why we have got results at home – and it will be no different on Sunday.

“We know the quality Yan has got. That’s why he has got his move to Hearts, but right now it’s about him making sure he leaves this club in the same place he came to it in.

“He’s doing everything he can for that.”

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