Any word on a pitch inspection given the heavy frosts we’ve been having? Hopefully there being no word of one means there is no risk.

We will be missing Carson tomorrow (I hope all goes well for his partner and their new arrival arrives safely) with Harper and Boyes doubts. We are a bit light at the back potentially so may have to go with 4 at the back again as last week rather than the 3 which seemed to be suiting us.

The club’s preview is here:

https://ictfc.com/match-preview-raith-rovers-h-02-12-2023/

Edited December 1, 20232 yr by Robert

24 minutes ago, Robert said:

Any word on a pitch inspection given the heavy frosts we’ve been having? Hopefully there being no word of one means there is no risk.

We will be missing Carson tomorrow (I hope all goes well for his partner and their new arrival arrives safely) with Harper and Boyes doubts. We are a bit light at the back potentially so may have to go with 4 at the back again as last week rather than the 3 which seemed to be suiting us.

The club’s preview is here:

https://ictfc.com/match-preview-raith-rovers-h-02-12-2023/

I think the pitch had covers on it this morning. 

 Rovers Return

 

Ian Murray brings the new improved version of Raith Rovers North on Saturday; only one defeat in the Championship this season. They take on Big Dunc's marauders, unbeaten in seven games since he took over from Billy Dodds' plodders. The transformation has been stark in just two months. (apart from all conquering Nairn County in the NoS Cup). Rovers got the monkey off their back on the 16th September when they ended an almost twenty-three year wait to taste victory against the Caley Jags over 90 minutes. Meh! Anyway, big Dunc has previous against Raith Rovers, let's hope it's a more amicable outcome this time. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Match/Ticket Info

Scottish Cup v Broomhill

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Venue H2H v Raith Rovers

Pld

Won

Drn

Lst

For

Agst

+ / -

Home	21	14	5	2	40	15	+25
Away	18	9	5	4	34	22	+12
Neutral	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	39	23	10	6	74	37	+37

Only six defeats against Raith after they had dominated the opening few fixtures against us. Only two defeats in the Highlands. For +40, against -15. What could possibly go wrong? 

Last 10 Competitive Meetings v Raith Rovers

0 - 1 (A)

2 - 0 (H)

2 - 2 (A)

1 - 1 (H)

2 - 0 (A)

3 - 2 (A)

1 - 1 (H)

0 - 0 (H)

1 - 1 (A)

1 - 0 (H)

That great run had to come to an end some time. 0 - 1 Record Breakers:  Never had there been a better time for Raith Rovers to break the Caley Jags hoodoo! Inverness, without a win in their last eight games, and Billy Dodds and the management team under fire. A 23 year run of games without a win for Raith Rovers was brought to an end today when Jamie Gullan smashed home from 15 yards with five minutes left. It was harsh on Inverness who dominated for long spells earlier in the game, but it leaves the management with some tough decisions to make. There will be dancing on the streets of Raith tonight! 

Pars beat Arbroath 3-0 since this table - Ayr United v Arbroath OFF ❌ Frozen pitch ❄️

That means the Pars are 4th on 18 points. - Morton v Dundee United OFF ❌ Frozen Pitch ❄️

Another casualty of the weather on Sat morning - Dunfermline v Queens Park ❌❄️ ☃️⛷️

         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Time Out

We struggled to perform to a high standard in our cup tie with Cowdenbeath using a 50/50 squad. After eighty minutes, the earlier introduction of Wotherspoon and Mckay proved crucial as they scored two excellent strikes to see us into the next round where we will face Broomhill at home in January. Raith did win the first meeting between the clubs this season, but it was closer than many thought it might have been, even with a side down on their luck. Jamie Gullan it was that rammed in the only goal of the game. Last five Championship results D W D W D 

Raith Rovers had a tremendous result in the cup at East End Park as they brushed aside the Pars 3-0. Jack Hamilton opened the scoring early in the first half and Sam Stanton and Lewis Vaughan ensured there would be no comeback from Dunfermline this time, not even thewoodwork could help them. Last five Championship results D W W D W 

Latest Team News

Longer term players still missing and we can add David Carson who is pregnant 🍼, Cammy Harper and Morgan Boyes who have injuries to shake off. Roddy MacGregor is back in training, so that's a bonus. Samuels and Doran nowhere near fitness. Jake Davidson got a few minutes last week.

 

 

Ian Murray is building a good squad at Stark's Park. Lewis Vaughan is top scorer with six goals followed by Callum Smith and Dylan Easton on five apiece. Ross Millen will miss this one through suspension and Liam Dick has been missing through injury.

Team v Dunfermline in Scottish Cup win

Dabrowski

 

Millen   Brown   O'Reilly

 

Connolly   Mullin   Easton   Stanton   Smith   (McGill 86)

 

Vaughan   Hamilton (Gullan 78)

Subs not used: Thomson; Hannah, Corr. 

Covers have been on the pitch since early Thursday 

Must admit I’m nervous about this one. We’re on a decent run but there are still frailties in our performances and Raith are doing well.

I’m hoping for three points but tomorrow will tell us a lot as to how we’ve improved and our prospects for the rest of the season. 

A bright and sunny but very cold morning. 🐧

Adding another couple of layers to the amount I had on for the Cowdenbeath game. If you see someone who looks like the Michelin Man, that will be me, but hopefully I'll be warm! 😂

Good on you guys for getting wrapped up and going to support your team. This match deserves a decent attendance and should provide a marker for where we are. All the best to everyone involved

I want bovril, I want bovril......

58 minutes ago, Jaggernaut said:

Adding another couple of layers to the amount I had on for the Cowdenbeath game. If you see someone who looks like the Michelin Man, that will be me, but hopefully I'll be warm! 😂

Robbo and Dodds looked like Michelin Men even in warm weather. How would you describe them if today they wrap up like you...and many others?

I’ve even dug a vest out for the game and my ICT hat will get its first outing of the season. 

That was over the line btw. Hopefully we can take advantage of that rub of the green 

36 minutes ago, BobbyDazzler said:

That was over the line btw. Hopefully we can take advantage of that rub of the green 

Definitely looked like it from where I'm sitting too ! And I also thought Wallace clipped Easton at the penalty appeal after he got by him.... 

Hopefully we get a goal in the second half to warm us up 🥶❄️

 

Edited December 2, 20232 yr by robbo1985

The stats so far are 60% possession to Raith, 7-0 for shots, 3-0 for shots on target and 7-2  for corners. So I think we can say if we get a point out of this it would be a real achievement. A win would be massively agains the run of play, but it is football after all. Fingers crossed. Could be a long second half.

Edited December 2, 20232 yr by The Long Man

Well, no sooner said than.... What a stunner, well done that man! Upwards and onwards. Sit tight now, lads.

Another Wotherspoon/Mackay combo. Sweet. One shot on target was all we needed!

Much better performance in the second half so far 👌 

I wondered at the time if it was wise taking off Mckay and Wotherspoon. 

I know they are not defence, but maybe it upset the way the whole team was playing?

What a sickener, 1-0 up after 85 mins and we lose. I’m guessing the loss of Devine was a blow?

Conceding late goals has denied us a lot of points this season - twice v Raith, twice v Dunfermline and home to Utd, off the top of my head.

For feck's sake. A draw would have been a good result, but a penalty as the last kick of the game......sigh.

Blame Dodds.

Substitutions cost us 3 points! 

Less said about that first half performance the better. As bad any doddsball we've seen. 

Second half we were much improved. Scored and looked the better team, creating opportunities. Then our two best players are removed from the field of play, and we proceed to lose 2-1 

That’s a sore one to take but in reality we were outplayed until we took the lead against the run of play.

If Raith had had their shooting boots on, they’d have been out of sight by half time.

We were much better in the second half, but the goal was a surprise when it came.

We then had our best spell and created several chances, coming very close when Anderson (by then playing in a more advanced role) cannoned one off the post.

Then the late equaliser meant we looked like getting a point (which we’d all have taken at half time) but the stoppage time penalty was a sickener.

Losing Devine meant a change of shape to 4 at the back, but I felt we played better with two wide players than we had with Duffy and Harper being wing backs.

I’m not blaming the changes as Mckay and Wotherspoon had worked their socks off, and it seems to be the norm that they give us 100% for 70 minutes before being taken off.

It is maybe the reality check we need, as our results have been better than our performances. If we had to lose our unbeaten run, I’d rather it was today than in any of the next three against the teams below us, Queens Park, Morton and Arbroath.

 

Now that we've lost a game, at least it means Big Dunc can wear a jacket at the next match.