Raith’s Rory McKeown believes Morton’s stunning victory over Hibs on Wednesday night shows exactly why the battle for the fourth promotion play-off space in the Championship will go right down to the wire this season.
The full-back insists he was not surprised that the Greenock outfit beat Alan Stubbs’ title-chasing side at Easter Road as he believes there is so little between the teams in the league.
Now, as Rovers prepare to welcome Morton to Stark’s Park this afternoon, he is determined Jim Duffy’s side will not build on that notable midweek result and that Raith will finish the day still sitting proudly in fourth spot.
The 22-year-old Northern Irishman said: “The Hibs result wasn’t really a shock. Teams are able to beat everybody in this league, it’s a competitive league.
“It doesn’t surprise me. Morton are a good team and they’ve shown that twice against us, although thankfully we’ve come away with a result both times.
“Going into Saturday, we know we’re going to have to be on top of our game if we’re going to hold on to that fourth spot.
“It’s really tight. St Mirren looked like they were fighting relegation at the start of the season and now they’re pushing for fourth spot.
“Considering the size of the club we are, we’ve got good players in the team and a good gaffer leading us, and I think we’re doing well to be in fourth.
“Morton are there, we’re there, Queens are there it’s all to play for and we know we’re going to have to continue winning games to keep it.
“I think it’ll definitely go right down to the wire.
“As bad as it sounds, I don’t really see us pulling away with it.
“It’s going to be tight.”
When asked if the fourth-place fight guarantees excitement for the Raith fans as the season edges to a conclusion, McKeown smiled and said: “The fans don’t want exciting! They just want us to win.
“It’s all to play for. We’ve got 13 games left and if we can pick up 15 points from those matches, we should be finishing in fourth.
“We’re not going to finish third because Falkirk are 18 points ahead of us and Rangers and Hibs will battle it out for the league.
“Our focus is maintaining that fourth spot and keep winning games. We’re maybe not playing as well as we should be but we’re winning, which is what we’re focusing on at the moment.”
While it is still all to play for this season, Raith boss Ray McKinnon has been steadily preparing for the next campaign by tying down a whole host of players such as skipper Jason Thomson, Kyle Benedictus, Lewis Toshney and David Bates to extended contracts.
And McKeown revealed that the Stark’s gaffer is keen for him to stay past this summer as well.
The player added: “The offer’s on the table at the minute and I’m just kind of talking things over with the gaffer.
“He knows I’m enjoying my time here and working with him for the past eight months has been good.
“At this moment in time I haven’t signed it but that’s not to say I’m not going to.
“Me and the gaffer will talk and we’ll go from there.
“I signed a two-year deal under Grant Murray and then the new gaffer came in last summer, and when a new gaffer comes in, things can change.
“But, thankfully, he’s liked me and he’s seen fit to offer me a new contract.
“I have enjoyed my time here the football’s been good, the lads are good so it wouldn’t be a big decision in any way.”