Barely any of the 1,689 within a small portion of the vast Hampden Park stadium could believe it when Craig Napier pointed to the spot as the game entered injury time.
It wasn’t that the referee’s decision was up for debate, it was more that the 10 men of Raith Rovers had hauled themselves back from 2-1 down and were on the verge of taking all three points.
Amid the excitement among the away support, and with nominated penalty-taker Lewis Vaughan already subbed off, few would have considered that it would be Ross Millen to take responsibility.
Far fewer still would expect him to repeat his ‘Panenka’ that won the penalty shootout in last season’s SPFL Trust Trophy versus Morton.
It wasn’t a pure Panenka. Rather than dinking the ball over a diving keeper, Millen arced the ball to the right of a static Calum Ferrie.
Ross Millen now firmly a fan favourite
Millen took a little time to win some fans over – which, even though he has previously brushed it off, was harsh on him – but had made himself a favourite even before his latest exploits.
In the first half, he was somehow popping up through the middle and over towards the left channel at the edge of the Queen’s Park box.
His long-range effort just before his winning penalty, again from that left channel, wasn’t far away from curling in either.
Raith manager Ian Murray described the penalty as “perfect”. It was a cocky move from a cocky player who has so far backed it up in a Rovers jersey.
⏱️ 39’: 1-0 Raith Rovers
⏱️ 61’: Red Card Raith Rovers
⏱️ 70’: 1-1
⏱️ 74’: 2-1 Queen’s Park
⏱️ 89’: 2-2
⏱️ 93’: 3-2 Raith Rovers
Let’s relive that winning goal again. pic.twitter.com/df3Eq6eRqu
— Raith Rovers Football Club (@RaithRovers) November 12, 2023
He didn’t have it on for long, though. What has already become an iconic away kit was whipped off instantly, followed by his GPS monitor before he sprawled out in front of a jubilant Rovers support.
Making memories in yellow
The hugely popular strip was a viral hit at the start of the season and is already the symbol of so many memorable moments.
It was worn for their heroics at Rugby Park that was the catalyst for progression from their Viaplay Cup group and when Sam Stanton headed in the winner in the Fife derby at East End Park.
Doubles from Dylan Easton at Ayr United and an unlikely headed double from Aidan Connolly at Morton were also in yellow.
Now this victory at Hampden, the most memorable of the lot, is added to that list.
‘Murrayball’ in action versus Queen’s Park
The somewhat overused ‘-ball’ suffix has been used tongue in cheek when about Ian Murray’s style of football.
His sides have come to be known for high-scoring matches but what ‘Murrayball’ really means is what we witnessed on Saturday afternoon.
Dylan Easton and Jack Hamilton were waiting to come on when Ruari Paton struck to make it 2-1 and the goal changed the manager’s thinking.
Whereas at 1-1 he would have made more like-for-like changes, Shaun Byrne was taken off instead.
Murray said afterwards that there was nothing to lose at that point – 2-1 or 5-1 is the same number of points.
Rovers ended the game with a back three of Millen, Liam Dick and Scott McGill with two central midfielders, two wingers and two strikers ahead of them.
McGill initially came on a left-back and it was from two Dom Thomas crosses from down that side that put Queen’s Park ahead.
But then the versatile 21-year-old was fed by Easton and put in the cross for Hamilton to head in the equaliser. Then, another substitute Jamie Gullan won the penalty that won the game.
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