Raith kick off pre-season with capital trip

RAITH ROVERS start their on-field preparations for the new season tonight when they take on Edinburgh City at a Meadowbank Stadium ground the Fife side used to visit when Meadowbank Thistle were a Scottish Football League side.

Manager Grant Murray has recast his side over the summer with six recruits — goalkeeper Kevin Cuthbert, defenders Rory McKeown and Craig Barr along with midfielder Martin Scott and striking pair Christian Nade and Mark Stewart all coming on board.

The new boys are all likely to feature in the capital as Raith look to rebuild after the loss of Ramsdens Cup f inal winner John Baird along with Joe Cardle, Greig Spence, Gordon Smith and Fraser Mullen. Hibs defender Callum Booth also exited at the end of his loan spell.

Mur ray knows the Lowland League side will be tough opposition, saying: “They have had a game already and they did very well in it. They played Dumbarton and only lost 2- 0 so they will take confidence from that and, whilst it is only a friendly, you want to do well in games like this.”

Raith started last season well and Murray is determined that this pre-season will go a long way to ensure a similar start in the new campaign.

He added: “We made a solid start in the Championship last season and enjoyed a good solid start to it. We also progressed well in the Ramsdens and the League Cup.

“The work we did in pre-season 12 months ago gave us the platform to do that and we are looking to do the same this time out.

“A lot of the conditioning has been done and now we are looking to start our work on the game side of things.”