James Craigen provided Rovers with an early leaving present at Cappielow on Saturday as his goal took the Kirkcaldy club to the brink of the Championship promotion play-offs.
The midfielder will depart Raith this summer after signing a pre-contract agreement with rivals Falkirk, but the skilful 24-year-old is certainly not letting that affect his performances, as he grabbed the winner against Morton.
“As a footballer you just want to get on the pitch,” he said.
“You’re not thinking about pre-contracts you just want to win a game of football. You just want to do the best you can and that’s what I’ve been doing.
“Since it’s been announced we’ve not lost a game so I’m getting a bit stick off the lads. I just want to keep going and try to finish on a high.”
Raith’s victory on Saturday took them 13 points clear in fourth place with just five games to go and Craigen added: “We’re not mathematically there, but I think you can definitely say it’s ours to lose.”
Craigen’s strike was his seventh of the season, and his second winner at Cappielow after scoring a last-minute penalty in December.
“I’ve got a few texts saying you always seem to score against Morton,” he said.
“I’ve added a few more goals to my game this year, and hopefully I can get a couple more to get to the target of 10 I set myself.”
Morton needed a win to keep their slim play-off hopes alive, but Raith’s victory made it a clean sweep of wins over the Greenock side this season.
The visitors had the better of the first half, with Mark Stewart missing a good chance early as Rory McKeown’s long throw found its way to the striker at the back post and he fired over.
Ross Callachan then tested Derek Gaston with a 20-yard volley as Raith bossed the opening exchanges.
Morton picked up towards half-time and only a stunning reflex save from Kevin Cuthbert prevented a Kyle Benedictus own goal from a low driven Michael Miller cross.
Rovers took the lead in the 53rd minute when the impressive Callachan slipped in Craigen, who decieved goalkeeper Gaston with a dummy before stroking the ball into the empty net.
Raith soaked up some pressure in the latter stages, with Lewis Toshney making a crucial block from a goal-bound Declan McManus effort, before Cuthbert tipped over a long range effort from Stefan McCluskey.
Raith had chances to finish off the hosts but the goal was enough to make it seven wins from nine games, and leave boss Ray McKinnon elated.
He said: “Today, the most important thing was the result.
“We knew a win would take Morton out the equation for the play-offs.
“We set up properly, got our goal, and I’m delighted.”