Last season on their way to the SPFL Trust Trophy final, Raith Rovers faced familiar opposition.
Even the final defeat at the Falkirk Stadium came against Championship opposition, completing a cup run that also featured second tier sides Morton, Queen’s Park and Dundee.
To kick off their 2023/24 Challenge Cup campaign, Ian Murray’s side will face Northern Irish side Cliftonville at Stark’s Park on Saturday.
That presents its own challenges in terms of preparation – and a slightly unusual scouting resource has been deployed, along with the more traditional reports.
Like Scottish football, the BBC does a good job covering the game in Northern Ireland and there have been full 90-minute samples available of Jim Magilton’s men in action.
Ian Murray aware of opposition’s threat to Raith Rovers
“We’ve been a wee bit lucky with the prep because there have been a few games on BBC over the last couple of weeks on the iPlayer – so we’ve been able to get a hold of them,” Murray told Courier Sport.
“They’ve had a good start to the season, even though they got beat the other night in the cup by Carrick Rangers.
“But in the league they’ve been decent – a good side, a good manager as well who has got them playing really good football.
“We expect a tough game. They’ll likely play 3-5-2 as they normally play, but could change it.”
Aidan Connolly set for Raith Rovers return
Murray hopes to reintroduce his top scorer from last season following a lengthy ankle injury.
Aidan Connolly is in line to make his return after this week completing his first full training session with contact.
It means Ross Matthews and Dylan Corr are the only players missing, though the latter “isn’t far away”, said Murray.
Last season’s SPFL Trust Trophy runners-up are again in this competition to win it, even if they would rather now be preparing to build on their excellent start to the season.
Murray will limit changes to Rovers’ starting XI
Murray won’t make wholesale changes, but he will use it as an opportunity to give an opportunity to some of those disappointed not to start in recent weeks.
“I wouldn’t call them fringe players, but people like Lewis Vaughan, Dylan Easton, Hammer [Jamie Gullan] – they all come into your thoughts to freshen it up a bit,” said Murray.
“But we’re not going to make crazy changes.
“We’re not going to change nine or 10, probably four or five boys that have been in our team this season and have done really well.”
