Diamonds dusted to put Rovers back on summit

RAITH ROVERS: Anderson nets winner as striker conversion keeps showing worth

AIRDRIEONIANS 0 RAITH ROVERS 1

Raith Rovers forward Grant Anderson hopes to continue his purple patch up front after firing his fourth goal of the campaign in the 1-0 win over Airdrieonians.

The 33-year-old has converted from a winger to a striker in his second spell at the club, and was in the right place at the right time to knock home Kyle Benedictus’s cut-back 10 minutes into the second half as Rovers made it three wins on the bounce.

“Playing on the wing for years, I know where I’d like the striker to be if I’m fizzing it across goal,” he said.

“Bene did well to get to the byline and I thought, ‘I’ve got to get there and see what happens’. Luckily for me I managed to get across the front of the defender and get a touch on it.

“The way the gaffer wants to play we’re always going to get chances like that so it’s up to me to get into the right places at the right time.”

It was at Stranraer last season where Anderson first impressed as a centreforward, paving the way for a return to Stark’s Park.

“They ran into money problems so I had to play in other positions to help out the team,” he said.

“I had a string of games up front and did quite well, and the gaffer’s cottoned on to that.

“He thought he could use it, and I’m just glad he’s brought me back.”

It was a much-needed away win for Raith after defeats at East Fife and Stranraer, while the three points also took the Kirkcaldy side back to the top of the League 1 table.

“We’ve been screaming out for it so it’s good to get the monkey off the back,” Anderson added.

“I don’t even think it was luck – we were on top for 95% of the game.”

Both goalkeepers were injured in a first half of few chances, with Raith’s Ross Munro suffering a dislocated shoulder in the 10th minute after a goalmouth scramble.

Airdrie stopper David Hutton was also replaced by Reece Willison on the half-hour mark after pulling his calf.

Rovers took a firmer grip in the second half, but chances were still few and far between, with Anderson doing well to convert one of the few opportunities that came along after some excellent work from Benedictus.

Raith were comfortable thereafter, only coming under pressure in the closing stages as Airdrieonians threw caution to the wind, even sending their goalkeeper forward for a late corner, but to no avail. Rovers boss John McGlynn was happy with the way his team restricted the hosts.

“That’s three clean sheets in a row for us which is very pleasing,” he said.

“It was very much a team effort and everyone worked hard from the front all the way through.”

Picture: SNS. Grant Anderson’s fourth goal of the season secured Raith Rovers’ third successive victory.