A fourth win in five matches gave Raith Rovers’ play-off ambitions a massive shot in the arm as they saw off nearest challengers Queen of the South.
Goals from Mark Stewart his fourth in the last five outings and James Craigen earned the Stark’s Park men the three points, despite a second half rally from the Doonhamers.
The victory stretches the Kirkcaldy men’s advantage in fourth to seven points, albeit Queens have a game in hand, and they must now be firm favourites to earn themselves an end-of-season tilt at promotion.
However, manager Ray McKinnon was careful not to make any predictions for the campaign when he arrived last summer and, despite the result, was still not keen to admit his team are now in pole position.
“We’d obviously rather be seven points clear than seven points behind but we’re not even looking at it like that,” he said.
“We just have to keep playing and see where we end up. If we get into the play-offs then great and if we don’t we’ll regroup for next season.
“Now we’re in that position we’ll give it everything we’ve got to try and stay there, but it’ll be tough.”
Raith held the upper hand in a cagey opening but slowly took command and were good for their two-goal advantage at half-time.
Just after the half-hour mark, former Dundee United winger Aidan Connolly gained possession 30 yards out and threaded a lovely pass into the path of Ryan Hardie.
The on-loan Rangers youngster, fresh from a hat-trick against St Mirren at the weekend, could not find the net this time as his drive was cleared off the line, but Stewart followed up to hammer in from close range.
Hardie enjoyed enough opportunities over the course of another impressive 90 minutes to have netted another hat-trick but he had to make do with a hand in the second.
Queens skipper Chris Higgins was adjudged to have used an arm to block the 18-year-old’s shot and Craigen nonchalantly drove home from the spot.
“I’m really pleased with the boys,” McKinnon said. “They really went about their business properly.
“Queens are a good side and they threw everything at us but we coped with it and I think we could have probably scored another few goals.”
The only down side on an otherwise profitable night was a sickening head knock sustained early on by Iain Davidson, who needed a full five minutes of treatment before being taken away to hospital on a stretcher and wearing a neck brace as a precaution.
However, McKinnon added: “Iain was taken to hospital but I’ve had news that he’s out. I don’t know the extent of his injury but he took a real bad one.
“I’ve heard he’s in good shape, so we’re pleased with that.”
Attendance: 1,398.
Raith: Cuthbert, Thomson, Toshney, Benedictus, McKeown, Connolly (Longridge 75), Davidson (Barr 14), Callachan, Craigen, Stewart (Pana-yiotou 74), Hardie. Subs not used: Anderson, Matthews, Thomas, Law.
QoS: Thomson, Brownlie (Russell 46), Dowie, Christopher Higgins, Kidd, Hutton, Tapping (Lyle 46), Conroy, Marshall, Hilson (Oliver 68), Pickard. Subs not used: Harris, Jacobs, Murdoch, Atkinson.
Referee: Nick Walsh.