Raith Rovers stopped the rot of matches without a league win with a 1-0 victory over Hamilton Academical.
Jamie Gullan scored the only goal of the game on Monday, with Aidan Connolly missing a late penalty.
Rovers held out against the Scottish Championship’s bottom club to record their first league win since the same opponents in November.
Courier Sport looks at some of the talking points from the game.
A striker scores
We wrote last week that too much reliance was being placed on Connolly to score goals – and he responded versus Accies by missing from 12 yards.
Connolly’s penalty miss:
In the end it was Gullan’s first-half goal that secured the points.
The 23-year-old has been in and out of the side this season due to injury.
He isn’t a penalty-box striker but needs to chip in with his fair share of goals – to do that he needs a run in the side injury-free.
Gullan is the first striker to score a league goal since Kyle Connell versus Partick Thistle in October.
Clean sheet
The amount of goals conceded from set-pieces recently has been a concern for Murray.
Before Monday’s win the previous four goals – across three matches – had all come directly or indirectly from a free-kick or a corner.
Rovers also hadn’t had a clean sheet in the league since October – that same Thistle game – though they had managed one in the Scottish Cup in that time.
Accies may be bottom of the league, on a run of six consecutive defeats and without a goal in the Championship in four but it is a start for Murray’s men.
Jamie MacDonald returns
The veteran keeper recovered in time to take his place between the sticks.
His return was a welcome one after Connor O’Riordan was recalled by Crewe Alexandra.
The 21-year-old Andy McNeil had deputised well but Murray said following the 2-2 draw with Morton that it was clear an experienced keeper was required.
Whether or not Rovers dip into the transfer market for one remains to be seen.
MacDonald pulled off an excellent second-half save but it will be a concern that he looked to be in pain after it.
MacDonald’s save:
Result over performance
The Raith boss is one who usually believes in the process over the outcome – but he abandoned this approach for this one.
He told Raith TV that the goal came from a preprepared plan but that the main thing was that they battled and came away with three points.
🎥 | @RaithTV
✅ Built up from the defence
✅ Switched through the midfield
✅ A perfect back post ball by Millen
✅ An instinctive finish from GullanYesterday’s goal was the perfect attack by #YourRovers pic.twitter.com/PGQkAohmoI
— Raith Rovers Football Club (@RaithRovers) January 3, 2023
It is their first league win in six attempts but, as the manager pointed out, Monday’s win means they are now unbeaten in four in all competitions.
Rovers are in sixth, three points off Partick Thistle above them – and a few more positive results could have them moving up the table again.
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