Raith Rovers turned in an impressive performance to register Barry Robson’s first Championship win in charge against Hamilton Accies on Tuesday night.
The 3-0 away victory was just reward for a display that showed promise for the coming weeks and months.
Early goals from Finlay Pollock and Jamie Gullan had Rovers 2-0 up after just six minutes.
And a third from Aiden Marsh made it an extremely good night for the Stark’s Park side as they moved up to sixth in the league table.
Courier Sport was on hand in Lanarkshire to assess the win.
Fast start
Raith were made to pay for being sluggish out of the blocks in Saturday’s league clash with Falkirk.
It was the fired-up Bairns who got the crucial first goal after just five minutes in a pattern that was a repeat of recent defeats.
In each of their last four losses they have been behind inside the first six minutes.
However, Rovers turned the tables on their opponents on this occasion to take the lead after just two minutes against Hamilton.
The effect of scoring so early was there for all to see as confidence coursed through the Stark’s Park men.
Pollock’s breakthrough was quickly followed by Gullan’s strike from a set-piece – another reversal of what went on against Falkirk at the weekend.
With Robson’s game-plan requiring high energy and strong running, there is no room for slow starts.
And they were rewarded for learning lessons from the disappointment against the Bairns.
Confident strikers
With the injuries to key strikers Jack Hamilton, Callum Smith and Lewis Vaughan, and the departures of Lewis Jamieson and Cody David, Raith have been left light up front.
Marsh and Gullan have been signed to help out, but both will need time to get up to speed.
Gullan had not played in three months before his fifth ‘debut’ for the club at the weekend and his fitness faded noticeably – and understandably – in the second-half at the ZLX Stadium.
The 25-year-old lasted 65 minutes before being replaced by Aidan Connolly.
By then, he had the first goal of his latest spell with Rovers – and probably should have had a second when he sent his header over from a wonderful Josh Mullin cross.
Marsh will also have to adapt to the Scottish game, his new team-mates and environment, and living away from home for the first time.
The 21-year-old was also off target with a header from a Mullin cross for what probably should have been a brace.
But his turn and finish for his first goal for the club was smart and clinical.
When Rovers’ options in attack are so limited, the boost to confidence for both Gullan and Marsh in getting off the mark is welcome.
Derby tonic
Following the high of a stirring performance in the Scottish Cup win over Falkirk, Raith were brought back down to earth with the league defeat against the Bairns.
Recovering so quickly from that disappointment was important.
The victory – and the manner of it – is also perfectly timed ahead of this weekend’s Fife derby against Dunfermline.
A rearranged midweek game before such a big game, when the hosts were idle, was never likely to be ideal.
But the pick-me-up provided by such a comprehensive win will send Raith across the Kingdom in buoyant mood.
With a historic five successes in a row, the Kirkcaldy men got used to winning the derby last season.
So the defeat at East End Park earlier in the campaign, when Euan Murray was sent-off early on, was a sore one.
They recovered with last month’s victory on home soil and now enjoy an eight-point lead over their rivals in the Championship table.
With Dunfermline having lost to bottom side Airdrie at the weekend, the fillip of the win over Hamilton is encouraging for Raith.
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