Raith Rovers have taken zero points from losing positions but there is hope the attack can rekindle

Raith Rovers have lost all eight matches in which they’ve been behind in the Scottish Championship this season.

The recent 5-2 loss to Queen’s Park, to their credit, was the first time they had gone ahead and suffered defeat.

It shows just how crucial it is, in football in general, to score the first goal.

The only match they dropped points in from a winning position was the draw at Inverness.

Rovers showed great character earlier in the season to go on and win after surrendering a two-goal lead to Ayr United – league leaders then and now.

But to really make a mark in this league they are going to have to take some points from losing positions.

Ruthless opponents

It was notable that no matter how heavy the score got on Saturday Murray stuck largely with his shape and didn’t periodically withdraw defenders for attackers.

Nor did he for the defeat at Dundee the previous week.

Raith had 13 shots on target last Saturday. Queen’s had five to match their five goals, two via the aid of a deflection.

In fact, Rovers finished the game with an xG of 4.09, according to Wyscout, the Spiders’ was 1.8.

This would suggest that the result was an anomaly, although – as the manager conceded after the game – some of the wounds were self-inflicted.

The sides’ respective fortunes in front of goal is a sign of the ruthlessness that Queen’s Park had that Rovers lacked.

The final piece of the jigsaw?

Ian Murray took time to put his defence together and eventually saw the rewards.

It is still early in his reign and sitting third in the Scottish Championship two weeks ago – before two defeats – and dropping to seventh on its own shows how tight the league is.

Assuming that last weekend was a blip, the attack is the final piece of the jigsaw for the Rovers manager to put into place – especially when finding a way back into matches.

This area of the field has endured more than its fair share of disruption due to injury but a few are working their way back to fitness.

John Frederiksen hasn’t been seen a lot since he started versus Arbroath.

He picked up a knock in that one and even before missing those fixtures he hadn’t played much football before his arrival.

He will be hoping Auchinleck Talbot will be the chance he needs – but the Ayrshire outfit shouldn’t be underestimated and the Faroese international has growing competition.

More fitness issues

Both Jamie Gullan and Lewis Vaughan – who last week completed his first 90 minutes in more than a year – are returning to full fitness and also need minutes.