The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Raith to meet Pars in play-off quarters
Raith Rovers and Dunfermline will cross swords in the most mouthwatering Fife derby in a decade after the Kirkcaldy club were hammered 4-0 by Hearts to finish third in the Championship.
Gary Mackay-Steven continued his recent hot streak with a clinical double, while the excellent Euan Henderson and Steven Naismith got their names on the scoresheet for a Jambos side which also struck the bar three times.
Perhaps even more costly for Raith was the red card shown to Iain Davidson in the second half after he was adjudged to have hauled down Henderson. Craig Halkett missed the resulting penalty but Davidson is now facing a two-match suspension.
That would be a hammerblow for the depleted Rovers, who now need to regroup ahead of Tuesday night’s play-off quarterfinal first-leg at East End Park after being usurped by Dundee on a dramatic final night.
The meeting will hark back to the 2010-11 campaign when both sides were fighting for the First Division title, with the Pars claiming a famous 2-1 victory in front of 11,052 fans on their way to promotion.
And McGlynn’s men may take some lifting after this.
Hearts were afforded a guard of honour as they took to the Astro, albeit Lewis Vaughan, the Hibs fans in the Rovers dressing room, resisted the urge to join his pals in applause.
Jamie Gullan, given the nod in attack alongside Vaughan, fizzed a ferocious drive over the bar during a bright start from the hosts — but Robbie Neilson’s charges soon took control.
A fine Michael Smith pass cut through a ragged Rovers backline, sending Mackay-Steven scampering through on goal. The
Scotland cap made no mistake, sweeping a super left-footed finish beyond Jamie MacDonald.
Kai Kennedy and Dan Armstrong were immediately sent out to warm up and, as they did, news filtered through that Dundee had taken the lead against Queen of the South.
Hearts were a lick of paint away from doubling their advantage when a dipping Andy Halliday free-kick rattled the crossbar, with Mendy almost punished for a rash challenge on the edge of the box.
Rovers had a golden chance to restore parity prior to the break when Reghan Tumilty — a constant threat down the right flank — delivered a
sensational low cross for Brad Spencer, who fired over from six yards with the goal gaping.
With the Dee two goals to the good at Palmerston as referee David Munro blew the half-time whistle in Fife, Rovers knew the onerous task awaiting them in the second 45.
As such, Armstrong replaced Mendy in an offensive alteration.
But it was the Jambos who almost streaked further ahead. Liam Boyce teed up Henderson brilliantly and, one-on-one with MacDonald, the Tynecastle prospect saw his low effort superbly saved.
Henderson would not be denied for much longer, skipping in from the left flank with 57 minutes on
the clock and lashing a superb shot beyond MacDonald for his third goal of the season.
With an immediate playoff clash with the Pars now firmly on the horizon, things went from bad to worse when Davidson was dismissed for tripping Henderson.
That Halkett struck the bar with the resulting spotkick will be of little consolation to McGlynn, already without the injured Frankie Musonda and now potentially missing his most experienced centrehalf for the trip to East End Park.
Gloss was added to the scoreline when Naismith poked home from close-range, mere moments after Boyce had again
struck the woodwork. By the time Mackay-Steven tapped home a Boyce cross to make it four, the fulltime whistle was music to Rovers’ ears.
Raith: Jamie MacDonald, Davidson, Mendy (Armstrong 46), Benedictus, Tumilty, Hendry, King, Spencer, Kieran MacDonald, Vaughan (Cooney 60), Gullan (Ugwu 66). Subs not used: Abraham, Kennedy, Duku, Thomson.
Hearts: Gordon, Smith (Irving 56), Halkett, Souttar,Logan, McEneff (Pollock 75), Haring, Halliday, Boyce, Henderson (Naismith 68),MackaySteven. Subs not used: Stewart, Popescu, Kastaneer, McGill.
David Munro.