The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Raith give Lichties plenty to ponder
Raith Rovers hit the ground running as they made an instant impression on their return to the Championship.
But Derek Gaston admits Arbroath have it all to do if they are to avoid going backwards this season.
Rovers unfurled the League One flag ahead of k ick -o f f to mu ted celebrations in a Stark’s Park without supporters and manager John McGlynn, who is still recovering from an operation.
In opposition was a team who last year proved promoted sides can hold the ir own in the second-tier.
But it was the new boys who came out on top, with goals from Dan Armstrong, Regan Tumilty and Regan Hendry ensuring the game was over by half-time.
And Gaston knows the Red Lichties face a massive task in trying to bounce back instantly when Hearts are the visitors on Friday.
The Jambos sent out an ominous warning to the rest of the division with their 6 -2 drubbing of Dundee and Gaston accepts the Gayfield men have serious work to do.
The keeper said: “I don’t think there was too much in the game until the first goal went in, but after that there was only one winner. We’ve no complaints about that.
“If you get a defeat like that early in the season it maybe does just give you that wee kick up the backside you need.
“We did really well last season and earned respect from a lot of teams, and we’ve got to continue to earn that respect.
“If you lose 3-0 against any team in the league it maybe makes people raise their eyebrows a little bit and think, ‘maybe they’re not as good’. So, we’ve got to try to get back on track.
“I didn’t see the Hearts game but I saw some of their goals. Their tails will be up and they’ll be full of confidence.
“If you come down into the league that’s the kind of result you want to set a marker.
“We’ll need to start the game well and show we’re not as bad as we were on Saturday.
“Hopefully we can get a per formance at home, where a lot of teams don’t like coming. If we turn up and play a lot better then maybe we can surprise them a little bit.”
Arbroath ac tua l ly threatened first when Jamie MacDonald pulled off a diving save to repel a Michael McKenna header.
But once Armstrong had drilled in a superb left-foot shot in the 30th minute after meandering in from the right touchline, Rovers took control.
Th e i r a t ta ck ing movement was too much for the visitors and Tumilty’s overlapping run six minutes later was picked out brilliantly by Dylan Tait. The full-back’s finish was composed.
Hendry was felled in the box a minute from halftime and swept in from the spot.
The former Celtic midfielder should have added a fourth two minutes from time, but Gaston saved his second penalty.
Arbroa th sk ipper Thomas O ’Brien was harshly adjudged to have handled an Armstrong shot and earned his second yellow card, ruling him out of the visit of Hearts.
However, a fourth would not have flattered Rovers, who threatened to pick off the Gayfield defence throughout the second-half as Dick Campbell’s side committed men forward in search of an u n l i ke l y comeback.
And Armstrong is conv inced Ra i th ’s impressive win is a sign of things to come as he set his team-mates lofty targets.
He said: “It was our first game in the Championship, we’re up a league now, so the first 15 minutes were difficult, but I felt we were always in control.
“I keep saying to the boys, I think we’ve got a right good chance in the league this season. We’ve got to be realistic but our aim should be at least making the top four.
“We’re more than capable of it with the squad we’ve got.
“We’ve got a good chance at it and I’m sure we’ll be right up there when it comes to it – I’ve got a good feeling we will be.”