Swings are about to get interesting
Murray says derby starts vital run to keeping title bid intact
IAN MURRAY admits this week’s hat-trick of head-to-heads could decide whether Raith’s title push is a goer or a goner.
Rovers take on Fife rivals Dunfermline at Stark’s Park today looking to close the fourpoint gap on Dundee United, who have played a game more.
A trip to Partick Thistle then looms on Tuesday before heading to Hampden to face Queen’s Park a week today.
With the final 10 games of the regular season now upon us, boss murray concedes his side are embarking on a pivotal period in their bid to claim a spot in the Premiership.
He said: “The next three games could swing it into a big advantage for Dundee United or keep it exactly how it is as well.
“We’ll wait and see. It’s got the potential for a lot of things.
“We know if we win on Saturday and go to Firhill and win the game, then we are probably not going to finish outside the top two.
“It wouldn’t be impossible but the law of averages suggests we’ll have enough in the tank to be in the top two and then we can look above us.
“But if we don’t win the games and United do, at that point we’ll have seven games to go and it would be a very, very tough ask.”
Raith hold derby bragging rights after winning the last four games against their foes in an unbeaten five-game run over 90 minutes this season – the Pars claimed penalty shootout success in the League Cup.
Dunfermline are still chasing the play-offs, sitting five behind a morton outfit in Scottish Cup action on monday, but are looking over their shoulder with only two points between James McPake’s side and the relegation play-off place.
And murray insists there is no chance of his side becoming complacent in the fixture.
The Rovers boss added: “I certainly know Dunfermline won’t be coming into the game with any fear.
“Dunfermline, on their day, are a really good side. We’ve found them particularly hard to play against and create chances against.
“They’re very well organised and have good individuals.
“They’ve had terrible injury problems this season that any team would struggle with.
“So we don’t treat them lightly. They’ve had a decent January window as well. They’ll see it as the opportunity to try to avenge the last five games – and I get that.
“But, on the flip side, we see it as an opportunity to go a season undefeated against them with the added two games in the cup. Six games, it would be a decent record.”
East End Park manager McPake hopes his team can finally put away their foes.
He said: “You’re never deserving of anything or due anything in football.
“The derby games have been decent enough, apart from the Scottish Cup tie – that was a great day for them. We were poor, we got bullied on the day.
“They’ve got the points from the games.
“It doesn’t matter how well you play if you consistently lose those types of games.
“It doesn’t matter if we’re due them anything or not. If anybody is due anything, it’s the fans – they want to see a derby win.
“For us, it’s a game we want to be competitive in and play our way. The squad is better now and it’s stronger.”