RAITH ROVERS 3 Armstrong (31), Tumilty (36), Hendry (pen, 44) ARBROATH 0
Raith Rovers made a dream start to life back in the Championship, running out comfortable victors at Starks Park.
Afterwards, assistant manager Paul Smith remarked: “We spoke before we went out saying we wanted to emphasise the fact we were desperate for three points and to get a good start in the league.
“I felt Arbroath started the game the better side but after that we were worthy winners.
“We didn’t get enough clean sheets last year so it was pleasing for Jamie Macdonald and the team to get one today and I felt on the counter-attack we could have scored two or three more goals.”
With John Mcglynn still recovering at home, Smith watched as his side make a nervy start, Miko Virtanen almost putting the visitors in front when he heded just wide on four minutes.
It was also the Lichties who would come closest next as Macdonald was called into action to claw away a Michael Mckenna header, the ball just evading Dale Hilson as it came out.
Another chance would go begging for the visitors, this time from Luke Donnelly before the home men took over with a 13-minute triple salvo.
First up on the half-hour mark Dan Armstrong cut in from the right to curl a lovely effort into the bottom corner from just outside the box.
Five minutes later and Regan Tumilty was set free down the righthand side before calmly slotting past Gaston. The perfect scenario was complete two minutes before half-time when Regan Hendry made no mistake from the spot.
The pattern for the second half was set early as the home men sat behind the ball happy to protect the lead. Arbroath absolutely dominated possession but created little of note with it.
In fact, it was Rovers who had the best of the chances, Manny Duku being the main culprit before Hendry saw a last-minute penalty saved by Gaston with Thomas O’brien being sent off.
This would matter little though as the hosts announced their return to the second tier in style, no doubt the perfect tonic for ailing Mcglynn.