Raith Rovers midfielder Allan Walker maintains the best way his side can put last weekend’s late reversal behind them is to return to winning ways against Cowdenbeath this Saturday.
The league leaders suffered their first away defeat of the season at Dundee seven days ago and did so in agonising fashion, throwing away a 1-0 lead before conceding the decisive goal deep into stoppage time.
But even though it was a sickener for everyone associated with the Kirkcaldy club, Rovers would have been buoyed by events at East End Park in midweek as Dunfermline’s inability to beat Falkirk kept John McGlynn’s men top of the first division pile going into this weekend albeit by a single point.
That makes victory in the Fife derby doubly important for Rovers, perhaps even more so given the fact that close rivals Dunfermline recorded a comfortable 4-0 win at Central Park last weekend.
While Walker’s disappointment at last week’s loss was clear for all to see at Dens, the midfielder is firmly focused on confining that defeat to memory when Rovers make the short trip along the A92.
“It was probably the worst performance we’ve put in in the last six or seven weeks, so we were disappointed but there are 15 big games to go,” he said.
“We’ve got a great chance to bounce back. It’s a derby and it’s another massive game for us.
“After Cowdenbeath we play Dundee in midweek so we’ve got three or four massive games coming up which will tell us a lot.
“We’re a hard team to play against because we don’t change our stuff.
“We’ve got the same strategy, tactics, formation and work ethic and it’s the same every game, home or away.Hard to beat”It’s just about being hard to beat and that’s the way the manager’s got us. I don’t think he would have it any other way or you wouldn’t be in the team.”
His comments were echoed by defender Grant Murray, who admits Rovers have to improve on last weekend’s performance.
“It was hard to take but you’ve just got to try and bounce back from it, and we’re already focusing on next week,” he said.
“You’re always judged on how you bounce back from defeats like this, especially when you’re sitting where we are in the league.”
Cowdenbeath have already beaten Rovers this season, in the Challenge Cup at Stark’s Park, while Raith needed two late goals to defeat their hosts 2-1 in their last league visit to Central Park.
While equally as disappointed as his players at last week’s result, manager McGlynn has urged his players not to dwell on those events and focus on today’s tricky fixture.
“We have to take Saturday’s defeat on the chin,” McGlynn concluded.
“We’re in a situation now where every game between now and the end of the season is a cup final.
“We want to stay top of the league as long as we possibly can, and if we can win the next few games that will put pressure on our rivals.”
Rovers defender Mark Campbell remains a doubt for the trip west.