The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Raith victory in Inverness makes United ‘work’ for title
Ian Murray was thrilled to see Raith Rovers make Dundee United “work” for the Championship title after victory over Inverness Caley Thistle.
Lewis Vaughan’s cute finish early in the second half separated the sides despite a strong late surge from the hosts, who struck the woodwork four times in the 90 minutes.
It hauls the Stark’s Park side to within three points of United at the top of the table ahead of the Terrors’ meeting with Ayr United.
However, with then just another two games remaining, Murray was delighted to delay the Tangerines celebrations – for now.
“There’s nothing we can do about United,” he said. “If we’ve played 36 games and they’re top then they deserve to win the league.
“That’s the way it is and we’ll move on to the next stage.
“We wanted to make them work for it and make them take it off us rather than us giving it to them.
“The players have done that and I can’t ask for much more.
“That’s 19 wins now. In this league, that’s really tough. And it’s 18 by a goal, which says it all, really.
“I’d like to have won much more handsomely at times, but in some games we’ve deserved to and in others we haven’t.
“Tonight could easily have been a draw or an Inverness win.
“So, for us to get 19 wins and our 11th away from home is fantastic. The guys deserve a lot of credit.”
As well as hitting the post once and the bar three times, Inverness found Raith keeper Kevin Dabrowski in inspired form, with a string of stunning saves.
Murray was full of praise for the former Hibernian youngster.
“I think Kevin’s had a brilliant season, I really do,” he said.
“The PFA (Championship) team came out today and how Kevin’s not in it I don’t know.
“I’m guessing that might not be down to football reasons because he’s the best goalie in the league, for me, pound for pound.
“He’s a youngster and in his first season as a number one, and he’s competing at a high end of a tough league.
“The saves he pulls off have been remarkable.
“Like any young player, and goalie in particular, he’s got a howler in him, like we all have.
“But we know that and we realise that and over the piece, he’s been outstanding.”
Vaughan also won plaudits for the way he finished off a flick-on from Euan Murray for the 49th-minute clincher.
“It was a brilliant finish,” beamed Murray. “I would have just blasted that with my left foot and just hoped it went in.
“Lewis has taken it with the outside of his right foot and dinked it. He just moved the direction and the speed of the ball really well.
“A bit of quality at that moment has won us the game. He’s another player I thought would have had a chance for the team of the year.”
Raith Rovers ensured Dundee United were forced to put their Champagne back on ice after hanging on for a hard-fought win in the Highlands last night.
Lewis Vaughan struck in the 49th minute for his 16th goal of the season to earn the Stark’s Park side victory.
Inverness struck the woodwork four times and seriously threatened a comeback with a strong late push.
But the Kirkcaldy men stood firm to move to within three points of United at the top of the Championship table.
It puts some pressure on the Tangerines for their home clash with Ayr United this afternoon.
But they still know that, with just two games remaining after that match, a win will see them effectively crowned champions thanks to their vastly superior goal difference.
There was a surprise in the visitors’ line-up as Dylan Corr was called in for just his third league appearance of the season.
The former Celtic youngster, who is out of contract in the summer, has previously been overlooked in favour of moving skipper Scott Brown back into the centre of the defence.
But with Keith Watson dropping down to the bench after the goalless draw against Partick Thistle last weekend, the 19-year-old made his seventh start of the campaign – the majority of which came in the League Cup in July.
Corr was one of three changes to Ian Murray’s line-up as Zak Rudden made way and Kyle Turner missed out through injury.
In came Vaughan, for a first start in four games, and Jack Hamilton.
Raith kicked off but the home side forced a corner after just 25 seconds.
Inside two minutes, a mis-kick inside his own box from Callum Smith allowed Billy Mckay a sight at goal but his shot was held by Kevin Dabrowski.
Moments later, Vaughan’s goal-bound effort was blocked inside the six-yard box before hopeful penalty appeals were waved away.
As play raged from end to end, Mckay whistled a drive close enough to Dabrowski’s right-hand upright that had the keeper diving full length.
Things settled as Rovers dominated the ball for a period but, again, Caley Thistle looked threatening.
Dabrowski pulled off a fantastic save to his left from Cameron Harper’s curling free-kick in the 14th minute to spark some frantic activity around the Raith goal.
From the corner, Hamilton blocked on the line from Alex Samuel, scorer of an incredible hattrick in the last meeting of the sides in January.
Euan Murray dropped a header on to the roof of the net from a Rovers corner, before Dabrowski somehow kept the scoreline blank.
First, Harper’s shot cannoned back off the bar and the wing-back looked certain to net the rebound.
But Dabrowski flung out his leg to produce a miraculous stop.
Scott Brown did manage a shot on target for Raith. But Vaughan and Sam Stanton, named in the Championship team of the year earlier in the day, were both wayward and wild with long-range efforts.
Stanton was more composed with a headed chance six minutes from the break but James Carragher was there to knock clear in front of goal.
The interval prompted two changes for Rovers and a switch in formation.
Scott Brown, booked in first-half injury-time, made way for Shaun Byrne and right-back James Brown was replaced by Dylan Easton as they switched to a three-man defence.
Easton made an immediate impact with some direct running and Raith got the breakthrough they craved three minutes into the second half.
Inverness cleared their lines but Smith’s lofted return was nodded on by Murray and the alert Vaughan ran on to flick beyond Mark Ridgers.
All of a sudden, Raith looked more confident and there was definitely more energy about their play.
But they had the upright to thank for staying in front as Samuel was denied.
Substitute Rudden was not far away with a halfvolley just past the hour.
The on-loan Dundee striker was then appealing for a penalty before Stanton tested Ridgers.
There was a bigger challenge for Dabrowski at the other end as he superbly denied Samuel with a strong left hand.
From the resultant corner, Danny Devine and Carragher both hit the bar with headers as the Raith goal led a charmed life.
In injury-time, Dabrowski got his fingertips to another Samuel effort as Rovers clung on for the win.