Raith Rovers registered their first win of the Neill Collins era on Saturday at the fourth time of asking.
Following defeats to Ayr United and Dunfermline and a draw with Hamilton Accies, the Stark’s Park outfit rose to the occasion against the previously ‘invincible’ Falkirk.
Halting their visitors’ 43-game unbeaten run thanks to Jack Hamilton’s 12th-minute penalty, the Kirkcaldy men also gave their troubled season a much-needed boost.
Courier Sport takes a look at the biggest talking points from a tense occasion in front of 5,013 fans.
Win bonus
Raith should have earned Collins his maiden victory in the previous week’s clash with Hamilton Accies.
Throwing away a two-goal lead for the second time in his three games was tough to take.
But there should be no real surprise that Rovers finally got that monkey off their back against a lauded Falkirk team.
The Stark’s Park men have repeatedly lifted themselves for the bigger challenges over the last 18 months, and did so again to bring the Bairns’ 17-month sequence in the league to an end.
It was a game in which there was little between the teams.
But, given the noticeable improvements but misfortune of previous weeks, perhaps Raith were due to come out on the right side of the result for a change.
Defensive fortitude
Lapses of concentration or individual mistakes have hampered Rovers this season.
Two red cards, one goalkeeping error and a 94th-minute equaliser have all cost dearly.
There might have been nerves going into the home straight against Falkirk with a narrow one-goal lead to protect and the visitors dominating possession.
But the Raith defence held firm.
Even when there were misplaced passes or the Bairns got in behind on the flanks there was always a team-mate covering determinedly.
One 90th-minute scramble aside, set-pieces were handled with resolve and John McGlynn’s side had few opportunities to snatch a point.
It is no coincidence that the last time they kept a clean sheet – in the 1-0 success against Partick Thistle six games ago – was also the last time Rovers won.
Easton empire
It really was a sterling team effort from Raith to avoid previous pitfalls and earn the three points.
From the marshalling of Paul Hanlon at the back and the omnipresence of Ross Matthews and Shaun Byrne in midfield to the constant running of Finlay Pollock and Aidan Connolly on the flanks, Rovers were well served throughout the side.
However, Dylan Easton was the man who caught the eye in a maelstrom of movement and energy.
The 30-year-old always appeared to have more time than anyone else – or, if he didn’t, he would engineer it with a sharp change of direction or a quick burst of pace.
With three goals in his previous six games, he was desperate to take the penalty that proved the difference between the sides.
But, in the end, he had to satisfy himself with the fact he won possession back before being bundled over in the box by Liam Henderson.
Hanging on to the fans’ favourite in the summer is increasingly proving a fantastic piece of business by the Stark’s Park club.
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