The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Smith calls on Rovers to grab second chance of promotion
Raith boss insists title blow has not knocked his team’s belief
Raith boss Barry Smith is determined his players will grasp their second chance at promotion – just like his coaching assistant Kevin Cuthbert did when he was still playing at Hamilton.
Everyone connected with Rovers was left desperately disappointed on Saturday as the Kirkcaldy side were pipped at the post for the title by Ayr.
Nearly 4,500 fans packed into Stark’s Park hoping to see the team crowned champions but Raith just could not find a way past a dogged Alloa side with the game ending 0-0.
They now face the Wasps again in the play-offs with their first leg semi-final taking place tonight at the Indodrill.
And the manager is hoping that former goalie Cuthbert’s play-off success when he was Accies’ penalty shoot-out hero as they beat Premiership outfit Hibs against all the odds four years ago can act as an inspiration to his squad.
Smith said: “If you speak to Kevin Cuthbert, he has finished second in the league twice, once with St Johnstone and the other time with Hamilton.
“The first time, he didn’t get a second chance (before play-offs).
“With Hamilton, they did and they got promoted. For as much as they didn’t win the league, it was the best day of his career.
“So these are the things you have to draw on and recognise when you have that chance to grasp it with both hands.”
Smith added: “We have had close games with Alloa this season.
“I think Saturday was slightly different as they were obviously conserving energy before the play-offs.
“The support on Saturday was excellent. Nearly 4,500 is a tremendous turnout and we want to thank them by getting results.
“The aim at the start of the season was to get promoted and we still have the chance to do that.
“We would have all loved to have won the league but we will have to do it through the play-offs which is difficult.
“But the objective remains the same and we still have that chance. “We have to believe we can take it.” While Saturday’s result was obviously not what Rovers wanted, the draw did keep their recent good run going with Smith’s side now unbeaten in their last seven games, something the manager believes will hold them in good stead in the play-offs.
He added: “I said if we didn’t win the league then we had to go into the play-offs on the back of a good run of form. We have done that so we have to focus on the positives.
“It is about continuing to do the good stuff that has us on that run of form.
“There was obviously a lull when they first came back into training and that’s understandable but by the end of today, they knew what was expected of them and the way we are going to play.”
Keeper Aaron Lennox will miss the game through injury.
Alloa manager Jim Goodwin wants his side to grab the first goal in their play-off semi-final against Rovers as he believes there will not be many scored over the 180 minutes of the two legs.
He said: “It could be a nervous occasion as people will be looking to see how Raith react to not winning the league and how we handle a big spotlight.
“That could lead to very few chances being created and if that is the case then I want us to get the first goal as that could have a huge effect on the tie.”
Paul Crossan will be missing with Iain Flannigan, Steven Hetherington and Jordan Kirkpatrick all facing fitness tests.