There is a lot to like about the Raith Rovers attack at the moment.
Nine goals scored in their opening three pre-season fixtures is encouraging – even at this very early stage of the campaign.
The latest two came in Saturday’s penalty-shootout win over Kelty Hearts in the Fife Cup – and without several attacking options still to return from injury.
Lewis Vaughan and Jamie Gullan were both on target, both maintaining their goal-a-game ratio.
Manager Ian Murray acknowledged that there is work to be done in defensive areas but is encouraged by his side’s attacking play.
On penalties
Vaughan opened the scoring from the spot on Saturday – after Gullan missed one versus Linlithgow in his absence – and insisted he has always been the designated taker.
“I’ve never been off them,” Vaughan told Courier Sport. “I wasn’t on the pitch last week.
“Hammer (Gullan) has been winding me up, saying he wants to take it and stuff.
“As long as somebody puts it in the back of the net, that’s all that matters.
“We’ve had a bit of banter in the car school about who is taking penalties, but as long as I’m on the pitch I’ll be taking them.”
Raith Rovers striker confident
The match ended in penalties after 2-2 draw. Gullan stepped up to finish the first, with Vaughan electing to go the same way for his second spot-kick of the afternoon.
“I stuck with the same way,” added Vaughan. “I hit the first one so well that I was confident going the same way again.
Vaughan’s first penalty:
“For the second penalty, I was just as confident as I was for the first one.”
Vaughan’s second penalty:
This time last year was a testing time for Vaughan.
His injury plight has been well documented but since working his way back from his latest, the forward has made marked progress.
Forward feeling stronger
Brought off the bench at the end of October in the victory over Partick Thistle, Vaughan went on to establish himself as an important part of the team – scoring seven times across his 26 appearances.
His fitness has been managed with care since, including sitting out the first warm-up match versus Linlithgow Rose, but he is feeling “fitter and stronger” with most of a pre-season under his belt.
“I’ve only missed one or two training sessions all pre-season,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to the competitive games.
“I just want to stay fit and play as many games as I can, score as many goals as I can.
“I don’t have any other targets in mind. I just want to get back and enjoy my football.
“I had a strong end, personally, to last season. I’m hoping I continue that.”
