Christmas arrived early at Stark’s Park on Saturday as Raith Rovers and Falkirk exchanged gifts, but it was the visitors who left with the points.
Raith striker Mark Stewart pounced on a slack back pass to open the scoring but his effort was cancelled out by a similar mistake at the other end that allowed John Baird to notch the winner.
Rovers’ third straight defeat has left them clinging on to fourth place in the Championship but Stewart insists that the Kirkcaldy side are still on course for the promotion play-offs.
“It’s the Hibs game all over again,” he said. “We’ve dominated large spells and showed a good response after last week.
“Again, we’ve come up just short against one of the teams we need to be beating. There’s four or five of us going for the play-off places and we want to get one of them.
“There’s still a long way to go and we’ve shown that we’ve got nothing to fear against the other play-off teams.
“I think we’ll be in the mix at the end of the season.”
Stewart was relieved to get on the scoresheet after missing a sitter against Livingston last week.
“I was just trying not to miss it after last week,” he said. “I had a lot of making up to do. I’d rather have won the game, but a goal is a goal, especially against my old team.”
Hours of heavy rainfall made conditions difficult and defensive mistakes would play their part.
Raith’s 39th-minute opener came after goalkeeper Danny Rogers slipped trying to control a back pass from ex-Rovers defender Paul Watson, allowing Stewart to nip in and slot in to an empty net.
Raith’s lead lasted just three minutes, however, as Bob McHugh crossed for Blair Alston to send a spectacular volley high into the net.
Rovers missed a glorious chance at the start of the second half as James Craigen fired over the bar from six yards after Mitch Megginson’s cross put the ball on a plate.
The Bairns took the lead on 60 minutes when another back pass disaster this time Iain Davidson the culprit presented Baird with a chance.
The former Raith striker still had plenty to do but, from a tight angle, he curled a stunning effort over the head of Kevin Cuthbert into the net.
Rogers made good saves from Megginson and sub Craig Wighton but had defender Aaron Muirhead to thank for a brilliant goal-line clearance to deny Craigen as Raith pushed for a leveller.
The Falkirk keeper made his best save in the 89th minute as a point-blank block prevented Jon Daly scoring an equaliser that Raith boss Ray McKinnon felt his team deserved.
He said: “It’s two mistakes. It does happen in football, but I thought we were excellent.
“Their two goals are brilliant finishes. I just wish we had that clinical edge.”