There have been many positive signs off the field at Raith Rovers in recent times.
The real test was always going to be when competitive football got under way.
Rovers saw their way through an unbeaten pre-season against opposition from various tiers below the Championship and looked the most likely before Saturday’s Fife derby was settled on penalties in the Pars’ favour.
Among the line-up were five debutants – including goalkeeper Kevin Dabrowski and centre-back pairing Dylan Corr and Keith Watson. Another, Jack Hamilton, came off the bench in the second half.
Here's how the teams should line up tonight: pic.twitter.com/Y4WYMxCvbT
— Craig Cairns (@craigcairns001) July 15, 2023
“It takes time to build relationships with players and staff, and also to work these players out and find their strengths and their weaknesses,” said Rovers boss Ian Murray.
“But, overall, I was really, really happy with them.
“We know we’ve got another three weeks to go before the [league] season starts and I’m sure by that point we’ll have more players, we’ll have players back from injury and we’ll be sharper.”
All in the same boat
Seven players have been added so far but Murray was still only able to name four outfield substitutes, three of them teenagers.
Persistent injury issues continue to hamper his selection and the search for another defender has so far not been successful – but Murray is far from the only manager still piecing his squad together.
“If you look around all the fixtures, I don’t think there’s many teams that are ready. You see that with the results,” he said.
“There’s a lot of work to be done for a lot of us, we’re all in the same boat.
“So, we wouldn’t have got too carried away if we had won and I’m certainly not going to get too downbeat because we didn’t.
“We’ve got four boys sitting in the stand who are vital to our team.
Partnerships forming
“No disrespect to the younger players on the bench, but it’s tough for them. It’s a really hard fixture to go on in.
“If you look at our back-line, we had Kevin in his first home game, Scott McGill was playing right-back, Dylan Corr has only trained once and I didn’t expect him back fit, although thankfully he was because we needed him.
“Sam Stanton was our sitter in midfield and we know Sam’s more effective further up the park.
“But, overall, in the game, the players who did play gave it everything on both sides.
“The work rate, the endeavour on both sides was fantastic, but it was maybe lacking in quality in both teams.”
