Raith lose top spot but Buchanan draws positive conclusion

raith rovers: Side are in a good place and just need to keep going, striker says

ALLOA 0 RAITH ROVERS 0

Raith Rovers were knocked off the top of League One after a goalless draw in Alloa, but striker Liam Buchanan hopes it will prove to be a good point.

Raith failed to score for the second match running as Ayr United displaced them at the top of League One thanks to a 4-1 win at Queen’s Park.

Rovers still have a game in hand which could see them reclaim number one spot next week, and Buchanan is upbeat about the team’s title prospects.

“It was a tough game,” he said. “Jim Goodwin’s got a good side assembled here, and they’ve added well,” he added.

“We were under no illusions how hard the game was going to be.

“We’re disappointed not to get the win but we just have to wait and see how big a point it might prove to be.

“You’re obviously disappointed to be knocked off the top. You’re professionals and you want to be top of the table all the way.

“But it’s going to be a rollercoaster from now until the end of the season.

“We’ll win games, we’ll lose games but we just need to pick up more points than Ayr. It’s as simple as that.

“I don’t think there’s any more pressure now that we’re not top of the league. We put pressure on ourselves to win every single game.

“Unfortunately we’ve not done that today but we’re still in good spirits, and we’re in a good place, and we just need to keep going.”

Stalemate was a fair outcome from a match where neither side created enough opportunities to merit the three points.

Kevin Mchattie returned to the Raith line-up after injury but lasted just 25 minutes before leaving the field on a stretcher after twisting his knee.

Goalkeeper Aaron Lennox, starting for the first time since August, was called into action to turn a Jordan Kirkpatrick 20-yard effort past the post after 13 minutes.

Midway through the first half, at the other end, Lewis Vaughan sent a corner into the Alloa box and Neil Parry made a fantastic reflex save from a powerful Euan Murray header.

Alloa went close after the break when Kris Renton glanced a header inches wide.

Raith dominated possession for large chunks of the second half but lacked the cutting edge to breach a well-organised Wasps defence.

Willis Furtado came close to scoring on his first start for the Kirkcaldy club with a low drive from the edge of the box which Parry did well to hold.

Raith had to wait until the 90th minute for a golden chance to fall their way when sub John Herron broke through the heart of the defence, but Parry turned his effort wide.

Alloa almost nicked it in injury time but Kevin Cawley sent a header over the bar with the goal gaping.

Rovers boss Barry Smith said: “We had more possession in the second half and weren’t clinical enough in front of goal.

“We got some good balls into the box but there was no one there to react to it.

“There’s 14 games to go and we have a game in hand, so there are opportunities for us.

“There’s a long way to go and we’ll keep working at what we’re doing.”

Picture: SNS. Keeping his eye on the ball: Raith striker Liam Buchanan.