Raith Rovers cruised into the quarter-finals of the SPFL Trust Trophy with a 3-1 victory over local rivals East Fife.
A breathless finale to the first-half saw Dylan Tait and Aidan Connolly ripple the net either side of a fine Scott Mercer leveller.
Matej Poplatnik climbed from the bench after the break to ensure Rovers’ progression; his third goal in two appearances.
Connolly inspiration
Ethon Varian passed up a golden opportunity to break the deadlock after 11 minutes.
East Fife goalkeeper Jude Smith spilled a Reghan Tumilty delivery into his path but the on-loan Stoke attacker could only volley over a gaping goal.
The following 20 minutes were rather underwhelming. The visitors — five points adrift at the foot of League One — were admirably resolute.
But there was a deluge of goals in the Kirkcaldy drizzle prior to the break.
Tait opened the scoring from inside the box after latching on to a loose ball, adjusting his feet and firing low beyond Smith.
The response from the Methil men was instantaneous and spectacular, with Mercer lashing a stunning drive from distance past Jamie MacDonald.
Not to be outdone, Rovers made it three goals in as many minutes as Connolly dispatched a sensational, curling free-kick into the top-corner from 25 yards.
Poacher Poplatnik
Varian nodded a Tumilty cross inches wide of the post as Rovers sought to make the game safe after the interval.
That would be the Irishman’s last action before he was withdrawn to a bleeding nose.
Nor could East Fife stem the bleeding. Varian’s replacement, Poplatnik, nodded home a third from close-range to seal the victory.
