Leaders leave Raith feeling robbed

12th minute when a quickly taken free-kick caught Thistle’s defence sleeping and Spence raced clear to dink the ball past a motionless Graeme Smith.

The Jags showed their title credentials, however, as they turned the game around to lead by half-time.

The leveller arrived in the 21st minute when a punt forward was poorly dealt with by the Raith centre-halves, and Bannigan smashed a low shot past Ross Laidlaw.

The First Division leaders went ahead 10 minutes later when a slack Dougie Hill clearance went straight to Lawless whose 18-yard drive was deflected into the net by the hapless defender.

Rovers surged forward after the break and almost equalised on the hour mark when Graham’s header from a Walker cross hit the inside of the post.

The visitors’ pressure eventually paid off in the 81st minute when Graham turned the ball home from close range after both he andWalker had hit the posts in a goalmouth scramble.

Thistle went back on the attack in an attempt to keep their 100% home record intact and Jason Thomson had to head a Craig effort off the line in the 87th minute.

However, from the resultant corner, a Hill interception only laid the ball on a plate for Craig and he swept in the winner from six yards.

Raith boss Murray said: “There were spells in the game when I thought we played very well, but it’s disappointing to lose it from a set piece again.”

Raith’s’ Greig Spence tussles with Paul Paton.