Cowdenbeath striker Kane Hemmings hopes to fire the Fifers to safety so he can prove a point to his former club Rangers next season.
Hemmings scored a double, including a 90th minute equaliser, to earn the Blue Brazil a point in an entertaining derby at Stark’s Park.
The 21-year-old Englishman is the Championship’s leading scorer, having hit the net 15 times, and he hopes his goals can help keep the Central Park men in the division, which is likely to include his former Ibrox employers next season.
“It would be good to play against Rangers next season,” he said. “When you’ve been let go by a club, it’s always in the back of your mind that you want to prove people wrong.
“You could have Rangers, Hearts and Dunfermline in the league next year. You’d be stupid if you don’t want to be part of that.”
Cowdenbeath made it four points from a possible six from two tough away games in Dundee and Kirkcaldy and Hemmings revealed that the return of Jimmy Nicholl has given the club a new lease of life since replacing Colin Cameron.
“As players we have to take responsibility for what happened with the old gaffer but Jimmy’s come in and installed a bit more belief in us,” he said.
“Everyone is playing for each other at the minute. We know where we can be in the league, and where we should be. We shouldn’t be scared of anyone in this league because we’re all as good as each other.”
Raith defender Dougie Hill also played a key role as he both scored and won a penalty in the 3-3 draw that saw Rovers drop four points behind league leaders Dundee.
“It’s disappointing to lose a last-minute goal but we’ve done it to them enough so it’s a wee taste of our own medicine,” he said.
“We want to stay as close as we can to Dundee because people think they might go and spend some money when the transfer window opens.
“Four points isn’t a massive gap but it would’ve been good to have stayed two points behind when we play them in a few weeks.”
The visitors made a bright start and took the lead after 10 minutes when Raith goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw spilled a powerful Kyle Miller strike and Greg Stewart pounced to knock home the loose ball.
Rovers were missing wingers Grant Anderson and Joe Cardle and they struggled to get into the match before Hill equalised with their first attempt on goal in the 32nd minute, climbing highest to head home Lewis Vaughan’s back post corner.
The home side improved after the break and took the lead on the hour mark when Calum Booth crossed for Calum Elliot to side-foot home from six yards.
Cowdenbeath levelled with 15 minutes left when referee Greg Aitken awarded a penalty after Laidlaw dived at the feet of Miller, and Hemmings blasted home the spot-kick.
The referee evened up the penalty count in the 83rd minute as Thomas O’Brien pulled Hill down in the box, and Booth sent his penalty straight down the middle to put Rovers 3-2 ahead.
Cowdenbeath refused to give up, however, and in the 90th minute a long ball was missed by the Raith defence, and substitute Jamie Stevenson crossed for Hemmings to bundle the ball over the line, leaving manager Nicholl delighted.
Raith boss Grant Murray said: “It’s sore to take losing a goal so late. The players are in there very disappointed but we’re still unbeaten at home since the first day of the season so we have to take positives from it.”