Rovers set up Livi tie after easing past Binos

STIRLING ALBION 0 RAITH ROVERS 2

Raith Rovers took the high road to a Scottish Cup third round tie at Livingston after headers from Gozie Ugwu and Dylan Tait comfortably saw off Stirling Albion at Forthbank last night.

Stirling carved out the first clear-cut chance when Jack Leitch fed Kieran Moore but he shot carelessly over the top from six yards with only Jamie Macdonald to beat.

Raith heeded the early warning and Jamie Gullan looked in the mood from the outset, seeing a shot deflected wide with Blair Currie watching it all the way.

John Mcglynn’s side stepped it up after that. Gullan swiped another shot wide when he perhaps should have done better after half-an-hour.

Kai Kennedy then tried his luck from just outside the box but the ball fizzed wide.

Currie pulled off a terrific save with his boot to deny Adam King’s sidefooted effort shortly afterwards and it looked increasingly likely that the Championship side would make the breakthrough.

The lively Gullan sent a header wide of target three minutes from half-time and then the goal duly arrived on the stroke of the interval.

Stirling failed to deal with Tait’s corner and Ugwu converted with a downwards header at the back post.

The pattern continued in the second half as Raith sought to kill off the tie. Currie reacted well to push away a dangerous cross from Kieran Macdonald as Raith got in behind the Stirling defence again.

The goalkeeper had to earn his corn again midway through the half when King looked set to add the second but he managed to block and Ugwu could not connect with the loose ball.

Ugwu managed to get his head to another Tait corner moments later but could not keep his effort down and the home side had another narrow escape.

Kennedy tested the goalkeeper again with a 20-yard free-kick but it was too close to him and he saved comfortably.

The clincher came with 20 minutes left. King laid the ball back to Reghan Tumilty and his inchperfect cross was headed powerfully home by Tait.

Stirling staged a late rally with Macdonald saving from Leitch and Chris Hamilton going close but Raith never looked in any danger.

Dylan Tait scored Rovers’ second goal at Stirling.