ALL ROVER NOW
Murray admits Raith need title miracle to catch United
RAITH boss Ian Murray admits the Championship title is Dundee United’s to throw away after his side could only manage a dreary draw with Partick Thistle.
Rovers are now six points adrift of the league leaders with just three games remaining.
Second place has been secured though, meaning Rovers will take some form of advantage into the playoffs as well as the financial boost their lofty league position will bring.
Murray said: “You have to be realistic, it’s going to take a heck of a collapse from Dundee United, that’s for sure.
“I can’t see it happening, I don’t think they’ve got that in them.
“I think they’ll get enough points to win the league but we have to keep going and keep the belief.
“Hopefully we can put a bit of pressure on if we win a tough game up at Inverness on Friday but we’re 99.9 per cent sure United will have enough in the tank.
“It’s funny how you can have that wee tinge of regret but second for the first time in 17 years is fantastic for the club. To be where we are is great and I’m delighted for the players because it has been a long season.” The Jags came into the game seeking their first win in Kirkcaldy since March 2011 and fashioned the first chance after seven minutes when Brian Graham was unlucky not to get more on Aidan Fitzpatrick’s inviting cross from the left.
Rovers responded well though and had their best opportunity 13 minutes in. Josh Mullin’s pin-point cross from the right found Zak Rudden in space but his bullet header was brilliantly stopped by David Mitchell.
It was Thistle who went inches away from tataking the lead with tthree minutes left in the t first period.
Fitzp at rick’ s superb super shot from di ststancea came crashing crash off the underside und of the bar anda out, taking a defd lection off defender def Euan Murray Mur on the way. Some S great onetouch tou football in and an around the box almost gave the Firhill side the advantage in 57 minutes but Kevin Dabrowski was down low to block Zander Mackenzie’s effort.
After Callum Smith blazed a shot over the bar for Raith in 66 minutes, Dabrowski was again called into action at the other end a minute later – this time saving well from Fitzpatrick’s drive from a tight angle.
Both sides probed for a winner with subs Lewis Vaughan and Dylan Easton having sights of goal for Raith before Thistle’s Graham saw a fierce effort deflected over.
Rovers had the woodwork to thank once more in injury time as sub Blair Alston’s free-kick from the edge of the box – his first touch of the game - rattled the crossbar.
Thistle boss Kris Doolan felt his side might have had full points on another day. He said: “Across the piece defensively we stood up to everything they threw at us and we played some good stuff.
“The conditions were difficult and both teams were trying – both put some good bits of play together and we’ve hit the bar twice.
“I think that’s three clean sheets in the last four, which is a huge turnaround from what it was, and it’s a good time of the season to be shoring things up defensively.
“But it’s all about building momentum going into the play-offs.”