Fife again belongs to Raith Rovers following their derby victory over Dunfermline.
Goals in either half from Sam Stanton – scoring for his fourth meeting with the Pars this term – and Dylan Easton gave Ian Murray’s team all three points.
It keeps them tucked in four points behind Dundee United at the top of the Championship.
And it means, unless both teams find themselves in the promotion play-offs, the Kirkcaldy side will have gone the season without defeat against their rivals.
History makers
For Raith to have racked up five successive wins against Dunfermline for the first time in their history is proof of a major achievement.
A maximum 12 points has gone a long way to ensuring they remain in the title hunt going into the last quarter.
The Stark’s Park outfit had only once before – in the early 1980s – earned four victories on the bounce against their local rivals.
And there was a spell in the mid-to-late 1950s when they could claim a five-game unbeaten run – courtesy of a handful of straight draws.
But, in over 125 years of the neighbourly battles, Raith have never had it so good.
Now unbeaten in their last six against the Pars, Rovers have lost just once in 13 going back three years.
Given the Dunfermline supporters tease their foes about being ‘the wee team’, it is no wonder, then, that fans of the Kirkcaldy club lapped up another success in the fixture.
With 47 wins to Dunfermline’s 50, it appears size is not everything in Fife.
Raith’s big-game mentality
To pull out another victory showed again that Raith can rise to the occasion when needed most.
Ian Murray’s side now have a 100 per cent record against Dunfermline in the league, as well as a swashbuckling win in the Scottish Cup at East End Park.
There has also been success in their games so far against title rivals Dundee United.
In three encounters, Rovers have won twice and drawn once.
When the chips have been down, the Stark’s Park men have responded.
Had Raith lost Saturday’s derby they would have slipped seven points behind United at the top of the Championship.
The same scenario faced them when they took on the Tangerines last month and eked out a crucial 2-1 win.
With the final meeting with the Tannadice outfit on the horizon in three weeks’ time, they will be hoping that big-match mindset can keep them right in the hunt for the championship.
First, they will need it again on Tuesday night away to Partick Thistle, when they can haul themselves back to within a point at the summit.
And, if they do falter in the title race, then that ability to step up when needed most will serve them well in the play-offs.
Remarkable one-goal sequence ends
Manager Murray has raised the possibility of it being a phenomenon unique in world football.
But it has finally come to an end with Saturday’s 2-0 success against Dunfermline.
Until then, Raith had neither won nor been beaten by any more than one goal in the league this season.
Across 26 Championship matches that seemed remarkable.
In 15 wins and five defeats, for just one goal to separate Raith from their opponents was an indication of how tight the division can be.
That so many of the victories came courtesy of late winners was also proof of Rovers’ never-say-die attitude.
But Dylan Easton’t second goal against the Pars on Saturday gave the Kirkcaldy outfit something they have never previously enjoyed – a two-goal victory.
Oh, how they’ll hope there are a few more during the coming weeks.
Blunt Dunfermline
For the second game in a row, the Pars drew a blank and paid the price.
They dominated possession on Raith’s home soil by 59 per cent to their opponents’ 41 per cent.
The statistics show they had 13 shots at goal compared to their hosts’ ten.
And they enjoyed three more corners than their rivals with eight.
But manager James McPake refused to cling to these numbers after the full-time whistle when he admitted Raith’s ability to convert two chances was all that mattered.
The Fifers scored three in beating Partick Thistle and twice in the win over Ayr United.
But in six of the last nine games they have failed to hit the back of the net.
The East End Park me are the second-lowest scorers in the division with 30 goals, whilst the lowest – Airdrie – have played one match less.
By way of a contrast, Raith – who also have a game in hand – have netted 18 times more and league leaders Dundee United have scored nearly double with 55.
The addition of Chris Kane on loan from St Johnstone has made a difference – Dunfermline have scored six times in his three games so far – and he was missed against Rovers.
And having Craig Wighton out injured for the remainder of the campaign will not help.
But the Pars are going to have to solve their scoring conundrum in the coming weeks if they are to avoid a nervy finale at the foot of the table.
Aye aye captain
If there was anything to lift the Dunfermline gloom at Stark’s Park on Saturday afternoon it would have been the return of Kyle Benedictus.
The Pars skipper has endured a nightmare campaign with injuries and has been sorely missed.
A broken foot, followed by two separate thigh tears have been debilitating for both the player and his team.
His absence denied the Fifers a wealth of experience, organisational skills, determination and defensive knowhow.
The derby was his first 90 minutes in over six months, dating all the way back to the end of August – and the 1-0 loss at home to Raith.
Before Saturday, he had played just three times following his last start on September 2 and for just 66 minutes since that outing.
For him to have lasted the whole match and to have come through unscathed will give hope for the remaining eight fixtures.
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