Dick Campbell’s tea’s oot in the Tunnock’s Cup
RAITH ROVERS 3
Bowie (15), Armstrong (32), Allan (90)
GLENAVON 1
Marshall (24)
They found themselves in a knockout fight.
But Raith Rovers floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee against heavyweight Glenavon to reach the quarter-finals of the Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Cup.
A late goal by Lewis Allan – scored after Welsh ref Bryn Markham-jones overruled an offside flag from his assistant – put a shine on the scoreline for Rovers.
Yet their Northern Irish opponents’ battling approach meant they had to scrap their way to victory.
It was no walk in the park.
But Raith gaffer John Mcglynn insisted his side were worthy of a greater winning margin.
“It’s job done,” he said. “If we’d come in three or four up at half-time I don’t think it would have been an injustice. However, you’ve got to the put the ball in the net.
“We did that at 1-0 and we should have been further ahead as we were in control, but we didn’t get the goals to kill it off.
“The second half, we didn’t quite click and it became a little bit of a struggle, albeit without them creating much.”
Glenavon were furious over Rovers’ third goal, which the home side plundered after an offside flag triggered a break in the game, only for the referee to wave play on.
For their manager, Gary Hamilton, the decision beggared belief.
“It’s unbelievable,” he said. “The thing that frustrates me is that both teams stop. The flag has gone up and he’s kept it up, then the referee’s waved play on straight away put Raith Rovers at an advantage.
“It’s killed the game off and took a wee bit of respect away from us in terms of the result.”
Rovers had by far the better of the first half – but they caused themselves problems too.
By the time Kieron Bowie broke the deadlock 15 minutes in with a superb effort past Johnny Tuffey, they had already come close twice.
The teenage Rovers striker could have bagged another two before the break.
But Glenavon levelled from a Rhys Marshall tap-in after Kieran Macdonald appeared to be nudged into a collision with home goalie Ross Munro.
Bizarrely, there were no appeals for a freekick from the home side, yet their apparent resignation didn’t last. Daniel Armstrong restored the lead the Kirkcaldy men deserved on 32 minutes after out-muscling his man and prodding past Tuffey.
Having lost that battle, after the break it appeared Glenavon’s players had been warned against losing any more.
Their approach became increasingly robust as the game wore on.
But Rovers still looked likely in front of goal, with Steven Anderson watching an audacious back-heeled flick strike the post on 66 minutes.
Glenavon had their moments on the break, but lacked composure.
In the end, despite the best efforts of their gaffer, who subbed himself on with five minutes to go, the Northern Irish side couldn’t find a way through.
Rovers, meanwhile, march on.
STAR MAN: Raith’s KIERON BOWIE. The 17-year-old has a bright future. If he can sharpen up his finishing, big clubs will come calling.