Raith Rovers boss Grant Murray hopes their timely derby win over Cowdenbeath could prove to be a turning point in the Kirkcaldy club’s season.
Rovers went into the all-Fife clash without a win in six league games, and without a win at home in their last five fixtures at Stark’s Park, but second half goals from Kevin Moon and Christian Nade saw them come from behind to end that disappointing run of results.
Outcomes elsewhere saw them consolidate fifth spot in the Championship and stretch the gap between themselves and sixth-placed Falkirk to four points, so Rovers will now be keen to look up the table rather than down.
“We’re delighted to win any derby game but it was a massive three points for us,” he admitted.
“We wanted to come out and perform well and although Cowdenbeath got themselves ahead I thought we showed a lot of character in the second half especially to get ourselves level and go on and get the winner.
“I thought in the second half we showed a lot more urgency, we wanted to get on the ball and we wanted to put them on the back foot and that’s what we did.
“I’ve been out there when you go a goal down in derbies and you have to step up to the plate.
“We had to make a change which I felt got us higher up the pitch and we had to get it into areas where we felt we were going to hurt them.
“But credit to the guys for turning things around because we know what derbies are like.
“It can be difficult if you go a goal behind but to go on and turn things around gives the whole squad and everybody a massive lift.”
Murray also dedicated Saturday’s win to outgoing chairman Turnbull Hutton, who has now formally stepped down from the post after chairing his final board meeting last week.
“I was reminded that we hadn’t beaten Cowdenbeath in a derby at home in a while so it was fantastic that Turnbull can have that under his belt now,” he concluded.