The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Stewart returns to spark Rovers’ attack
RAITH: Former Bairn scores twice and sets up another after stop-start season
When Raith boss Gary Locke opted to freshen up his attack following last weekend’s frustrating 0-0 draw with 10-man Hibs, he turned to former Falkirk forward Mark Stewart.
The decision paid off spectacularly as a man-of-the-match performance from Stewart transformed last week’s toothless display into one with more bite than a shoal of piranhas.
Watching the 28-year-old torment home defenders David McCracken and Luca Gasparotto with his intelligent movement and searing pace, it was easy to forget the hamstring niggles that had hampered his progress this season.
Now fully fit, Stewart was free to showcase the full range of talents that he first demonstrated as a teenager during his five years with Falkirk.
He scored twice – a close-range header to make it 2-1 and a calm finish to snuff out a home fightback – and also created Rovers’ third goal for Declan McManus.
On another day and with more games under his belt, Stewart could easily have bagged another three, although he still beamed: “I’m obviously delighted to get back in the team and get a couple of goals, but the most important thing is that the team won.
“I’ve had a stop-start season due to injury, but everybody should be fighting to keep their place, so I don’t think I have any more to prove than anyone else.
“Falkirk had a lot of possession (55%) but we have plenty of pace on the counter-attack and we kept hitting them on the break.
“Last week was a good performance, but we didn’t create a lot. We created loads today, so it was a much better performance and it shows what we’re capable of. It’s been coming for a few weeks now.
“We still have a couple of injuries, so when one or two players come back, we’ll have a really strong squad.
“The league is mad, it’s crazy. Five or six teams could get into the play-offs, and even without Rangers it’s a great league to play in.”
To illustrate Stewart’s comments, Raith are now back in a top-four spot after overtaking Falkirk on goal difference. Both sit just four points behind Championship leaders Hibs, with Dundee United and Queen of the South tucked in-between.
While manager Locke was delighted to take revenge for last month’s 2-0 defeat at Stark’s Park, he was even more satisfied to see his players rediscover their scoring touch as they claimed only their second win in seven games.
“We’ve had a few good performances this season, but that’s the best we’ve played,” he said. “You have to play well when you come here, and I felt we set the tone from the start.
“We were disappointed not to score last week, but we worked hard on that in training and got it right today.
“Mark has had muscle problems this season, but he’s worked hard in training and we needed his goal threat today.”
We’ve had a few good performances this season, but that’s the best we’ve played. GARY LOCKE