Raith Rovers extended their advantage in the first division title race with a nail-biting, narrow victory over near neighbours Cowdenbeath at Stark’s Park.
Then Cowdenbeath snatched their shock equaliser in the 51st minute. Linton swung a deep cross from the left and Stewart reacted fastest to head home from six yards, his fourth goal in four games.
Rovers looked for an immediate response and came agonisingly close to achieving it after Walker headed a Wilson cross down to the feet of Baird but he hit the post from point-blank range.
On 55 minutes, Baird passed up another glorious chance when he headed a Walker free-kick straight at Hay from just six yards out.
Cowdenbeath started growing in confidence after their goal, while Rovers struggled to recover from the setback and began to look increasingly nervous. Mark Ferry tried his luck in the 80th minute from the edge of the Cowdenbeath box but he dragged his shot wide of Hay’s right post.
However, five minutes before the end of normal time, Baird finally made up for his earlier misses. Walker hit a precise cross from the Raith right which Baird headed back across goal and into the back of Hay’s net from 10 yards.
Attendance 1495.Raith Rovers McNeil, Wilson, Ellis (Dyer 54), Campbell, Murray, Davidson, Walker, Simmons, Baird (Wales 90), Tade, Ferry. Subs not used Hill, Weir, Wales, McGurn.Cowdenbeath Hay, Baxter, Adamson, Winter, Armstrong (McKenzie 75), Mbu (Linton 25), Campbell, Cameron (Robertson 77), Crawford, Stewart, Ramsay. Subs not used Coult, Roy.Referee Calum Murray.
The league leaders took the lead on the stroke of half-time through the impressive Gregory Tade, but Cowdenbeath equalised shortly after the restart with a shock Greig Stewart goal against the run of play.
Rovers passed up a couple of glorious chances to regain the lead before grabbing a dramatic late winner courtesy of a John Baird header.
With Dunfermline only managing to draw at bottom-of-the table Stirling Albion, John McGlynn’s side are now four points clear.
A relieved McGlynn said, “I felt we thoroughly deserved our victory. I think we merited being further ahead at half-time but then we conceded a poor goal. But I am delighted for wee John getting his winner.
“I am going to be boring and not talk about Dunfermline-it is all about what we do over the final nine games.”
Blue Brazil boss Jimmy Nicholl said, “We started badly but there was a great response from the players in the second half. We had a wee slip of concentration for their winner, but to be honest our goalkeeper Davie Hay kept us in the game.
“But that performance has given us hope.”
McGlynn made two changes from the side that slumped so badly against Partick Thistle at the weekend with Laurie Ellis and Iain Davidson coming back at the expense of Willie Dyer and Dougie Hill.
Nicholl also made two alterations to the line-up which was defeated by Dundee a week ago with Craig Winter and Joe Mbu coming in for Scott Linton and former Rangers defender Bob Malcolm.
The match only went ahead after an afternoon pitch inspection and considering the amount of rain that had fallen all day, the surface looked in fair nick, which was testament to the work the club had done during the summer to improve drainage.
It was the recalled Davidson who had the first shot on target in the eighth minute when he cracked a drive from 18 yards but Cowden goalkeeper Hay gathered easily.
Craig Wilson was next to try his luck from long-range when he cut inside from his right-back berth and struck a shot from 22 yards, but it flew past Hay’s left-hand post.Cowden surgeCowdenbeath made their first impact on the 20-minute mark when Archie Campbell looked to capitalise on a Grant Murray misplaced pass but his shooting boots lacked power and his strike from the edge of the Raith penalty area was easily saved by Andy McNeil.
Hay had to look lively in the 24th minute to rush from his line to block an Allan Walker shot from close range. Shortly after, Cowdenbeath suffered a blow when Mbu had to limp off to be replaced by Linton. Walker then had another outstanding opportunity to open the scoring when he latched on to a Baird cross from the Raith left, but the midfielder was denied by an instinctive save at his near post by Hay.
Rovers were laying siege to the visitors’ goal but they had a big scare in the 31st minute when Campbell raced through on to a long ball by Stewart. However, the on-loan Rangers player hit his angled drive straight at McNeil.
The Cowdenbeath striker had another chance four minutes later when he pounced on a poor Davidson back-pass then sprinted into the Raith box before hitting a snap shot but the diving McNeil made a vital fingertip save.
As the half drew to a close, Raith’s frustration at their inability to break down the stubborn Blue Brazil defence became increasingly evident, as shown by the tetchy late tackle which earned Walker a booking in the 41st minute.
However, Walker made amends in the 45th minute when he played an incisive ball into the feet of Tade haring down the right in acres of space. The Frenchman found himself one-on-one with Hay but held his nerve to blast the ball past the keeper.
Four minutes into the second half, Tade again found himself in the clear after another pinpoint pass by Walker, but this time Hay won his duel with the goalie making a brilliant stop.
Continued…
The league leaders took the lead on the stroke of half-time through the impressive Gregory Tade, but Cowdenbeath equalised shortly after the restart with a shock Greig Stewart goal against the run of play.
Rovers passed up a couple of glorious chances to regain the lead before grabbing a dramatic late winner courtesy of a John Baird header.
With Dunfermline only managing to draw at bottom-of-the table Stirling Albion, John McGlynn’s side are now four points clear.
A relieved McGlynn said, “I felt we thoroughly deserved our victory. I think we merited being further ahead at half-time but then we conceded a poor goal. But I am delighted for wee John getting his winner.
“I am going to be boring and not talk about Dunfermline-it is all about what we do over the final nine games.”
Blue Brazil boss Jimmy Nicholl said, “We started badly but there was a great response from the players in the second half. We had a wee slip of concentration for their winner, but to be honest our goalkeeper Davie Hay kept us in the game.
“But that performance has given us hope.”
McGlynn made two changes from the side that slumped so badly against Partick Thistle at the weekend with Laurie Ellis and Iain Davidson coming back at the expense of Willie Dyer and Dougie Hill.
Nicholl also made two alterations to the line-up which was defeated by Dundee a week ago with Craig Winter and Joe Mbu coming in for Scott Linton and former Rangers defender Bob Malcolm.
The match only went ahead after an afternoon pitch inspection and considering the amount of rain that had fallen all day, the surface looked in fair nick, which was testament to the work the club had done during the summer to improve drainage.
It was the recalled Davidson who had the first shot on target in the eighth minute when he cracked a drive from 18 yards but Cowden goalkeeper Hay gathered easily.
Craig Wilson was next to try his luck from long-range when he cut inside from his right-back berth and struck a shot from 22 yards, but it flew past Hay’s left-hand post.Cowden surgeCowdenbeath made their first impact on the 20-minute mark when Archie Campbell looked to capitalise on a Grant Murray misplaced pass but his shooting boots lacked power and his strike from the edge of the Raith penalty area was easily saved by Andy McNeil.
Hay had to look lively in the 24th minute to rush from his line to block an Allan Walker shot from close range. Shortly after, Cowdenbeath suffered a blow when Mbu had to limp off to be replaced by Linton. Walker then had another outstanding opportunity to open the scoring when he latched on to a Baird cross from the Raith left, but the midfielder was denied by an instinctive save at his near post by Hay.
Rovers were laying siege to the visitors’ goal but they had a big scare in the 31st minute when Campbell raced through on to a long ball by Stewart. However, the on-loan Rangers player hit his angled drive straight at McNeil.
The Cowdenbeath striker had another chance four minutes later when he pounced on a poor Davidson back-pass then sprinted into the Raith box before hitting a snap shot but the diving McNeil made a vital fingertip save.
As the half drew to a close, Raith’s frustration at their inability to break down the stubborn Blue Brazil defence became increasingly evident, as shown by the tetchy late tackle which earned Walker a booking in the 41st minute.
However, Walker made amends in the 45th minute when he played an incisive ball into the feet of Tade haring down the right in acres of space. The Frenchman found himself one-on-one with Hay but held his nerve to blast the ball past the keeper.
Four minutes into the second half, Tade again found himself in the clear after another pinpoint pass by Walker, but this time Hay won his duel with the goalie making a brilliant stop.
Continued…