MATCH STATS
RAITH ROVERS 2
Tait (3), Matthews (45+1)
ARBROATH 1
Dowds (90+4)
Raith Rovers went joint second in the table after inflicting Arbroath’s first league defeat since the season’s opening day, striking early and late in the first half.
Raith made a marvellous start with a goal before three minutes had elapsed. Dylan Tait was the scorer but Reghan Tumilty was the architect.
The full back played some neat interchanges with his colleagues in a prolonged bid to get forward before Aidan Connolly and Tait played a clever one-two, enabling the latter to score with an angled shot which struck Arbroath captain Tam O’brien on its way in.
A James Craigen snapshot from 20 yards struck the post as the Lichties probed for an equaliser.
Raith were passing the ball crisply in midfield, and on 25 minutes thought they had claims for a penalty. Ethon Varian robbed O’brien of possession and set off on a charge towards goal before going down in the box under a challenge from the visiting skipper. Referee Steven Mclean waved playon.
Three minutes later, a through ball gave Michael Mckenna a chance for Arbroath but Macdonald was out impressively to block the close-range effort at his feet.
In first-half stoppage time, Matthews made it 2-0 with a glancing header from a cross by Dario Zanatta.
Arbroath were seen more as an attacking force in the second half but found the Rovers defence in robust form.
Dowds forced the ball home for Arbroath in stoppage time following a scramble in the goalmouth.
Raith Rovers assistant manager Paul Smith said the players were happy to win but disappointed they had not kept a clean sheet, with conceding late goals being something of a habit.
However, they were delighted to end the first quarter in second place and with 17 points.
“It’s been a great start to the season but we will need to kick on and do better in the second quarter,” he added.
Arbroath manager Dick Campbell was disappointed with the way his team had gone about their job and lost two soft goals.
“I thought we looked very slack and as if that rest hadn’t done us any good at all,” he added. “We started brightly in the second half but all credit to Raith Rovers. I thought they deserved to win the game.”