Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Home is where the heart is for Rovers
Victory against leaders could be turning point
Brian Kerr was delighted to see his Albion Rovers put an end to their nightmare home form as they stunned league leaders Raith.
Goals from Alan Trouten and Connor Shields ended the visitors’ unbeaten run and saw Kerr’s side claim their first points in Coatbridge this season.
A Greig Spence strike late in the game set up a tense finish but Rovers held on for an impressive win.
The result means the Rovers hold third spot in the table and gaffer Kerr felt the confidence-building scoreline at home is key for his side going forward.
“It was pleasing for us for a number of reasons,” he told the Advertiser.
“We played well and are happy to get a win over the league leaders.
“It’s good for the group that we got our first home win of the season and put the hoodoo to bed.
“It keeps us in the play-off places and we are on track as to where we want to be this season.”
He continued: “We spoke to the players before the game about where we felt we had to improve at home and what wasn’t translating from the away games.
“We had to focus on getting the basics right and doing the dirty side of the game at times.
“Things that had been working away from home just didn’t seem to be coming off for us.
“We have been bedding in a new squad who weren’t familiar with playing at home but hopefully we can put that behind us now.”
Raith came to Coatbridge as the inform team in League One and started the game brightly as a snap shot from Lewis Vaughan was kept out by Graham Bowman.
The Cliftonhill men came close to taking the lead as Sean Higgins’ frontpost header was smothered by Raith keeper Graeme Smith.
Albion Rovers took the lead when Trouten robbed Smith of the ball and went round the flailing stopper and tapped the ball into the yellow nets at Cliftonhill.
A moment of magic from Shields doubled the advantage, with his inchperfect stirike finding the top corner.
Raith set up a dramatic end to the game in 85 minutes as Jason Thomson’s ball was pounced on by Spence, who headed the ball into the net.
However, the Coatbridge men held on for all three points.