Low-key derby ends in stalemate at near deserted Stark’s Park
NOT so long ago there was eager anticipation for this fixture. A new year and a new chance to get one up on your rivals.
There was added narrative too when John Hughes, relegated with Raith Rovers in 2017, was appointed manager of a struggling Dunfermline in November.
In the end, the 500 allowed to attend due to the recent restrictions struggled to make more noise than Pars centre-half Mark Connolly when haranguing referee David Munro.
“Football’s just not the same without fans,” said Dunfermline manager Hughes. “It’s an eerie, eerie kind of game. It felt like a training match at times.”
Raith manager John McGlynn described the afternoon as a “drab, dour derby draw” after the sides played out a goalless stalemate.
There were three debutants in the sides, with Sam Stanton and Rangers loanee and Scotland Under-21 internationalist Ben Williamson making up half of Raith’s midfield diamond, and the Dunfermline manager bringing in winger Steven Lawless after he was released from Motherwell. He took his place on the right side of attack, a position he thrived in not so long ago in the Premiership with Livingston.
The entertainment on show matched the atmosphere, with the game interrupted by many niggly fouls and both sides failing to capitalise on opportunities.
“I felt we had the better chances in the game, especially the first half,” Hughes said. “We were really disappointed not to go in ahead at half time.
“We ran out of steam in the last 20 minutes, but we had to put a lot of work into the game.”
The Pars manager was full of praise for his debutant Lawless, who had not been expected to last the full 90.
“We were constantly shouting on the bench, ‘how are you, how are you?’,” Hughes said. “He did
very, very well for someone who hasn’t played a lot of football in three or four months.”
Hughes also confirmed that Graham Dorrans and Kai Kennedy had missed the match after being deemed close contacts to Covid cases.
The first decent chance came on 19 minutes when Raith’s Tom Lang headed well wide from a decent position. Soon after Rhys Breen just failed to connect from a similar position at the other end.
Approaching the half-hour, Matty Todd fired straight at Jamie MacDonald, then seconds later Lewis McCann was also denied by the Raith keeper – this time by his legs – after being put through on goal.
Five minutes before the break Matej Poplatnik found himself in the box after robbing Breen. Instead of shooting he attempted to cut it back to an advancing Ethan Ross, but the pass was frustratingly short.
The second period followed a similar pattern, with Raith threatening first within 10 minutes of the re-start. Interplay between Liam Dick, Ross and Stanton saw the latter drive into the box but his strike was diverted away from goal by a Dunfermline head.
At the other end, McCann headed just wide after some excellent wing play from Lawless to escape the attention of the Raith defence and create space for the in-swinging cross.
McGlynn was the first manager to blink, replacing Poplatnik with Dario Zanatta. The Canadian made an instant
impact, involved in a well-worked chance for Ross Matthews. However, the midfielder could not get a clean strike following a one-two with Ethon Varian.
Hughes then withdrew Todd for Kevin O’Hara, with Dylan Tait coming on for his final Raith appearance before he returns to Hibs in place of Williamson.
The Easter Road-bound 20-year-old was showered with applause, and again at the end of the game, but was unable to make the desired impact. It was also unfortunate that the midfielder was not greeted with a full crowd showing their appreciation for the Raith youngster.
After the match a frustrated McGlynn said his side was “lacking in quality”, adding: “We can play better than that.
“We got a clean sheet, that’s all you can really take from it.
“We went with two strikers up top, but we still didn’t create enough chances. Not that I’m one for thinking that playing two up top means you actually create more, but we tried it and it didn’t work from that aspect either.”
With fellow title challengers Inverness and Arbroath also playing out a goalless draw, the point leaves Raith third in the cinch Championship and three points off the leaders. It is, however, their third match without victory and without a goal.
Dunfermline, meanwhile, remain second bottom and are without a win in five attempts. They have, however, edged a point ahead of Morton, whose match was postponed, who they take on next.