Ian Murray has urged Raith Rovers to ‘finish this one off’ after they narrowly took command of their Premiership play-off semi-final against Partick Thistle.
First-half goals from Scott Brown and Lewis Vaughan saw the Stark’s Park men assume control of a raucous first-leg at Firhill.
The Jags pulled one back through Blair Alston with 18 minutes remaining and piled on the pressure in search of a second.
But Murray was content to see his side take a slender 2-1 lead into Friday’s return leg in Kirkcaldy.
“I think we’re in narrow command,” he admitted. “I wouldn’t say we’re over the line by any stretch of the imagination. It’s going to be a really tough game on Friday.
“But to come here and get our noses in front is fantastic. We’re delighted.
“I would have liked more, obviously, because I thought our first-half performance was deserved of being ahead, if not by a little bit more.
“But we knew Partick were going to come out and throw the kitchen sink at us, and they did.
“It was a bit of a freak goal, I guess. But apart from that I’m very happy.
‘It’s all to play for’
“We both now know what we need to do.
“The first legs are always a bit strange because you just don’t know what’s going to happen – and it’s still alive, regardless of the scoreline.
“I’d be saying the same at 2-0 or 2-2. It’s all to play for.
“This league never ceases to amaze people and it’s not going to change any time soon.
“So, we’ve got to make sure we recover and rest well and get ready for Friday evening.
“We know what it’s going to be like. We’re going to have a fantastic support inside our home stadium – and we need to go and finish this one off.”
Murray heaped praise on goal-scorers Brown and Vaughan, who stunned Partick with two superb strikes before the break.
And he admits he was starting to dream of a third before Alston took advantage of a fortunate touch off the falling Scott Robinson to haul Thistle right back into the tie.
‘Fantastic’
“They were really, really good goals and two fantastic finishes,” added Murray. “Our build-up play for the first goal was really, really good.
“It was good energy from Scott Brown as well, which I thought he showed all game.
“And it was a great finish, because we’ve seen them hit the back of that scaffolding a few times!
“Then Vaughany’s goal, that’s Vaughany. The ball falls to him inside that area and it’s a fantastic finish. He’s got that quality in him.
“I felt we were actually just starting to creep on top again in the second-half when they scored.
“I thought we might have gone on and got a third goal, which would have been a massive advantage on Friday evening.
“And then they scored a kind of strange goal, which completely changed the game.
“At that point, as much as you want to be two ahead or maybe three ahead, to get out of here with one, we’re happy.
“But we know it’s half way.”
