Raith Rovers partied like they had the Championship title in the bag after downing Dundee United, according to beaten Tangerines ace David Wotherspoon.
However, the experienced midfielder is adamant the Tannadice outfit will retain laser focus on “the bigger picture” as a fascinating race for promotion reaches its crescendo.
Scott Brown sealed all three points last Friday night with a dipping blockbuster from 30 yards, with his former St Johnstone teammate Wotherspoon noting, “I know that Scott has that in his locker”.
You could hear them celebrating and they feel like they’ve won the league…but there is still a lot of football to be played and we will be ready.”
David Wotherspoon
It was a stunning strike fitting to win an absorbing contest after Zak Rudden and Louis Moult had exchanged goals in the first half – cutting the gap at the summit to just a single point.
The post-match scenes at a sold-out Stark’s Park were understandably vibrant, with that audible exuberance carrying into the home dressing room after the match.
“It was raw after the game,” Wotherspoon told Courier Sport. “You could hear them celebrating and they feel like they’ve won the league, given the way they were celebrating.
“But there is still a lot of football to be played and we will be ready.
“We are looking at the bigger picture. We are still top of the table, and everything is in our own hands with 13 games to go.
“I thought we played well and didn’t deserve to lose.”
Clinical touch
Tony Watt, Moult and Glenn Middleton all passed up decent chances to find the net, with United particularly lively in the opening 45 minutes.
Conversely, Josh Mullin passed up a couple of gilt-edged chances for Rovers.
“We know what sort of team we are, and I feel like we passed them off the pitch at times, creating numerous chances that we could have scored,” Wotherspoon continued.
“On another day, we take those three points. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen the way we wanted it too.
“But if we play like that every week then we will almost certainly pick up the points we need.”
Asked whether United were let down by a lack of clinical streak, Wotherspoon continued: “I feel like we could have taken a few of those chances – but we know we’ve got the quality up there to score goals.
“We’ll certainly do that during the remainder of the season.”
Best is yet to come from David Wotherspoon
Wotherspoon, 33, was arguably United’s star man at Stark’s Park, albeit defender Ross Graham was also excellent.
Starting in a deeper role in the absence of Ross Docherty, he made a host of incisive passes, drove forward in possession, and teed up Moult’s leveller with a fine corner-kick.
Of his three starts since arriving from Inverness last month, this was his most impressive by some distance – and illustrative of his quality on the ball.
“Once I got into the game and started playing, it felt comfortable,” he added. “I really enjoyed playing in the middle with Sibbs (Craig Sibbald).
“And the more I play and build that understanding, I’ll only get better.”
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