The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Vaughan returns in style to down Loons
RAITH: Striker nets twice on comeback from injury as Stark’s Park men cruise
Lewis Vaughan marked his return from injury with a quickfire double as Raith Rovers cruised to a 4-0 win over Forfar at Stark’s Park.
In his first appearance of the season following groin surgery, the striker wasted no time in opening his account, putting his side 2-0 up almost immediately after coming off the bench early in the second half.
Vaughan, who struck the net 23 times last season, also scored the fourth to complete a dream comeback.
“It’s been a long time coming for me,” he said.
“I picked up what I thought was a wee niggle at the end of last season. I tried to rest it over the off-season, but it didn’t work out how we thought it would. “It just stayed with me and got worse. “I’m just delighted to get back on the pitch, but more importantly score goals and get the win.”
Vaughan looked to have lost none of the sharpness that saw him nominated for League One player of the year last season, but the 22-year-old admitted that his best is yet to come.
“I’m still a wee bit off being match fit, but this was just my first week back training, and my first game in three-and-a-half months, so it’s expected,” he said.
“I had a bit of rustiness and I wasn’t happy when I gave it away a few times, but I’ve tried to look after myself so that when I came back, I’d be ready to go.”
New arrival Kevin Nisbet has picked up the goalscoring mantle during Vaughan’s absence, and the striker was on target again as Raith took a 28th- minute lead.
The former Partick forward pounced on a short pass back by Jamie Bain to slip the ball beyond Marc McCallum for his ninth goal in 10 appearances.
Forfar arrived in Kirkcaldy third in the League One standings, just one place below Raith, but they were blown away in the second half as the home side upped the tempo.
Vaughan replaced an injured Nisbet on 51 minutes, and immediately doubled Rovers’ advantage as he played a one-two with Ross Matthews before clipping the ball beyond McCallum from close range.
It was quickly 3-0 as Duggan broke the offside trap and coolly lobbed the ball over the outrushing ‘keeper to score his first goal for the Kirkcaldy club since his summer move from East Fife.
Vaughan added a fourth on 68 minutes, pouncing on a loose ball to volley home from six yards after Liam Buchanan saw an effort blocked.
Raith boss Barry Smith was delighted with the impact of Vaughan, but also with the overall team performance.
“He was only supposed to get half an hour based on his fitness levels, so it was good to get him on the pitch, and back scoring goals,” he said.
“He’s capable of doing that – but the hard work of the other players allowed us to make that substitution.
“From start to finish the boys were excellent and I think it continued from last week’s game where we got that late victory.
“They showed a real good appetite for the game, and I think we controlled it.
“It’s the early part of the season, but if we play like that we won’t be far away.”
Forfar boss Jim Weir was critical of his team’s defending.
“The goal we lost in the first half is self-inflicted, and that seemed to set the tone for the rest of the afternoon because defensively, we were really poor,” he said.
“But credit to Raith Rovers. Lewis Vaughan came on and gave them a spark that I certainly didn’t see in my dressing room.”
I’m just delighted to get back on the pitch, but more importantly score goals and get the win. LEWIS VAUGHAN