Raith boss wants side to raise level

Ian Murray insists his Raith Rovers players must match Ayr United in “every single department” as they get set for a trip to the league leaders this afternoon.

Murray’s men were 3-2 winners over the Honest Men at Stark’s Park back in September thanks to goals from Kyle Connell, Sam Stanton and Scott Brown but Rovers boss Murray says one victory does not guarantee another ahead of their clash at Somerset Park today.

He said: “We know we can beat Ayr, that’s the bottom line, but we also know if we don’t perform to the level of what we can do then it can flip the other way.

“Ayr are a good side and have good goalscorers in their team, are solid at the back and we need to match them in every single department to win the game.”

Rovers warmed up for the Ayr clash with a bounce game victory over fellow Fife side Hill of Beath Hawthorn, in which defender Tom Lang returned to action after 10 months out following an ACL injury.

Murray added: “It was a good game for everyone. We needed to get players some game time and top up the fitness of some others.

“It was really good for Kyle (Connell) and John (Frederiksen) to score goals – five apiece – which was fantastic.

“Tom Lang played a large part of that, which was pencilled in for him, so it was great for him to come through the game.

“We’re delighted to have him back and the next stage for him is trying to get into the starting XI but that comes from within himself also.”

Murray also hopes hat-trick hero Aidan Connolly can cope with being a “marked man” against Ayr.

The winger bagged a treble in last weekend’s Scottish Cup victory over Auchinleck Talbot to take his season’s tally to 12 for the season.

The former Dundee United youngster has eight goals from his last five matches and Murray reckons his recent exploits will earn him more attention from opponents.

He said: “He’s done great for us, he’s been superb.

“He got a hat-trick last Saturday and it was fully deserved over the course of the season; in a couple of games he’s got very important goals for us and some real quality goals.

“The challenge to Aidan, the same as any other player, is how do you keep that up? How do you adapt yourself when you’re becoming noticeable to other teams?

“Maybe he’ll find it difficult... but he has to find a way to keep that level high.”

Ross Matthews and Jamie Gullan will both be assessed after missing the win over Auchinleck.