Step up to the plate and hit a home run
Ian: Three wins in 8 days can keep title bid alive
IAN MURRAY knows the next week could have a huge bearing on the title race.
Raith face three home games within the next eight days against Ayr, who visit today, Airdrie and Partick Thistle.
The Fife side will bid to make the most of their game in hand and overturn the four-point gap on Dundee United at the top after last week’s defeat at Tannadice.
And Murray admits every point is a prisoner in the battle for automatic promotion.
He said: “It will maybe become a bit clearer after the next week.
“We’ll be able to see where everybody is at that point.
“But again, the way the season has gone then it could still be nip and tuck.
“We’re disappointed [after Tannadice] but nothing was going to be decided by that one game. We still have six very big and hard games to come.
“We know realistically we have to win the next two at least to put a bit of pressure on Dundee United.
“But who knows what might happen on Saturday. United going to Hampden is a tough game, that’s for sure. Queen’s Park are playing some really good stuff at the moment.
“And if Dundee United drop points, and we can win, suddenly Tuesday night becomes a game where we can maybe put our noses in front again.
“Even then, we’re still looking at the next four games as being in the same category as the previous two.”
Raith have at least all but pinned down second place and Murray insists they need to be pragmatic about how far they’ve come this season.
He added: “At the start of the season, you have aspirations. But I don’t think many people were looking at us as being the team to run United as close as we have so far.
We’re well within touching distance and it’s like anything when you get a wee bit of success you get excited and you want more. If we fall short, for whatever reason, and that might be Dundee United winning all their games, we have to cement second as quickly as we can. Then the way I look at it is we’re four games away from promotion to the Premiership.” Anton Dowds, on loan at Ayr from Thistle, took his haul this term into double digits eight days ago in the win over Airdrie. The striker’s deal is up this summer and Somerset boss Scott Brown said: “He’s a leader for us, he leads by example every day in training. He’s got a really good understanding with Mark (McKenzie), the two of them link up really well together. “We’d love to have that next season as well because he’s a huge part of this team.” In seventh, Ayr are six points clear of danger and just four off the top four. Brown added: “It’s wild, one of the tightest leagues I’ve seen. But it’s entertaining, it’s good for Scottish football.”