Raith’s brave effort is not enough
RAITH ROVERS manager John Hughes got kitman Simon Pollock to deliver his pre-match team talk — but the inspiration was rendered academic as St Mirren’s draw at Easter Road consigned the Fifers to the play-offs in their bid for Championship survival.
The hosts earned the win they required, courtesy of Declan McManus’ last-minute goal, despite having to play virtually the entire 90 minutes with ten men following goalkeeper Pavol Penksa’s red card in the opening minute for clattering Ayr striker Craig Moore.
After youngster Jonny Court’s first goal for Raith — scored in the 37th minute — they recovered from Ross Docherty’s second-half equaliser to ensure they registered the three points needed if they were to move off second-bottom spot.
But it is now on to the first leg of a play-off semifinal with League One Brechin City as they attempt to cling to their second-tier status.
Raith boss John Hughes had questioned whether his players cared after their 5-0 hammering from St Mirren last week, but insisted he was full of pride this time.
He said: ‘I was asked what reaction I would get to my comments last week and I think you saw it.
‘But it was too little, too late. We had a poor start but showed great character to come back and score the winner.
‘All credit to the players, though. I’m really proud of them.’
Court swept in brilliantly from a Kyle Benedictus through ball, but Docherty’s equaliser for Ayr with a low drive 20 minutes from the end meant Raith had it all to do again, no matter the score from Easter Road. When McManus pounced on a Jean-Yves M’voto knockdown in the last minute to score, the great escape was back on.
But by the time the fulltime whistle sounded, Raith’s play-off fate had been sealed by St Mirren.
A five-goal win for Ayr, who saw keeper Greg Fleming taken to hospital in a neck brace after a worrying second-half fall, would have saved them from relegation.
But manager Ian McCall admitted: ‘We were never going to win by five goals. Raith Rovers had so much to play for, in realistic terms far more than us.’