Rovers keep their title hopes alive as Murray header sees off Thistle threat
Raith Rovers kept the pressure on Dundee United in this gripping cinch Championship title race with a precious 1-0 win away at Partick Thistle last night.
Ian Murray's Kirkcaldy outfit went into the match four points behind the Tangerines knowing that any slip-ups at this stage of the season could be fatal to their hopes of keeping pace at the top of the table. However, they grabbed the lead in the 34th minute through a Euan Murray header and despite a nervy finish, with Thistle hitting the post in stoppage time, Rovers held on for the win.
With eight matches left to play in the league, secondplaced Raith now trail leaders Dundee United by a solitary point. Goodwin's men are next in action away at Dunfermline Athletic on Friday night, with Raith Rovers taking on Queen's Park at Hampden the following day.
It is looking increasingly likely that the match between the two runaway teams in the division at Tannadice on March 30 will be pivotal. United remain narrow favourites to win promotion to the Premiership but Rovers have won two of the three encounters between the two teams so far, the other being a draw.
Raith manager Ian Murray praised his team for being able to grind out the win just three days after an energy-sapping 2-0 Fife derby triumph over Dunfermline Athletic. "It was very difficult to come off the back of the derby game," Murray said. "Towards the end, Partick did put us under pressure but we had our chances as well. "Clean sheets are so, so important. This is the time of season to pick them up. For us, it's about hanging on to Dundee United. Defensive performances like we put in tonight are very welcome. We know there's bumps in the road to come, there's loads of twists along the way, but we're chalking the games off."
Goal hero Euan Murray, whose header skidded past David Mitchell from a terrific Kyle Turner cross towards the
end of the first half, said Raith will keep fighting right until the end.
"We managed to grind it out and find a way to win," the matchwinner said. "We're there or thereabouts. Obviously they [Dundee United] are a great team, but we can only focus on ourselves. I've probably got one of the biggest heads in Scottish football, so I'm pleased to get on the end of one and score."
It was a sore night for Thistle, who created enough chances
to earn at least a point. They remain third in the table, a whopping 17 points behind Raith, and their focus now will be staying in the play-off places, three points clear of fourth-placed Morton, with fifth-placed Airdrieonians now just four points behind the Maryhill men with a game in hand.
"It's a real tough one," said their manager Kris Doolan. "It probably goes to show the first goal in any Championship game is vital. It felt like their
goal was their first chance of the evening.
“We threw the kitchen sink at Raith right at the end. It just felt like one of those nights where nothing was landing. When it's going against you, it's going against you. We know we were the better side tonight. Sore one, but you don't have time to dwell on things. We have to be resilient and come back stronger."
Thistle host Morton at the weekend in another tasty Firhill fixture.