Raith Rovers picked up an important three points on the road with a 1-0 win over Arbroath at Gayfield.
Sam Stanton scored the only goal on the game five minutes before half-time – his third goal in the last six matches.
Rovers missed multiple chances to add to their lead in the second half and withstood some late pressure to hold on for the win.
Jamie Gullan missed out altogether from the squad and his replacement Dylan Easton was the only change in a 4-2-3-1 shape.
Here's how Raith Rovers should line up: pic.twitter.com/7yyWonaDH6
— Craig Cairns (@craigcairns001) October 19, 2022
It was a decent performance from Ian Murray’s side in difficult conditions.
Courier Sport looks at a few of the talking points from the match.
The wind
Conditions in the North Sea were wet and windy – though not at its worse – and Rovers won the toss and chose to play against the gale in the first half.
It hampered the away side at times in terms of gaining territory and caused them issues defending corners.
Dylan Tait’s was curling straight in until Jamie MacDonald clawed it away and the following corner also caused issues.
Bobby Linn’s knuckleball free kick may have been aimed right at MacDonald but he still did well to keep it out in the conditions.
The subsequent corner then forced the save of the match when MacDonald somehow appeared from nowhere to save Scott Bitsindou’s close-range header.
Raith certainly felt the advantage of the elements in the second half, with Easton’s free-kick – a cross – having to be tipped over by Gaston.
It didn’t prevent the inevitable late push from Dick Campbell’s side bit it did nullify a few of their attempted high balls.
The closest they came was a Dale Hilson header from a wicked ball in, easily smothered by MacDonald.
Sam Stanton
Rovers had their chances before Arbroath’s first-half onslaught, again hitting the woodwork this season, this time through AIdan Connolly’s curling effort.
Soon after Stanton chested a Ross Millen’s cross just wide but there was little else for the visitors until the opener five minutes before the break.
Scott Brown sent a ball over the top of the defence. Connolly was in an offside position but left it for Stanton showed that trademark composure to slot it past Derek Gaston.
Second-half substitute Kyle Connell had two great opportunities to double Raith’s lead -especially the first, but he failed to take advantage of the one-on-one.
Liam Dick also saw his header come back off the bar.
Away record
Rovers must improve their form across the board to get to where they want to be but the away form before this made for very poor reading.
Murray’s side had recorded just one victory away from Stark’s Park – that win at Hamilton – ahead of this one.
With Arbroath still searching for their first home win of the season, this was always going to have the potential for a slip-up.
The win keeps Rovers within touching distance of the pack above them.
Defence
Since Dick moved to centre-back and Kieran Ngwenya came in at left-back at home to Cove Rangers, Raith have conceded once in three matches.
That was a dubious last-minute penalty versus Morton.
The same defence registered a clean sheet away to the same opponent in the SPFL Trust Trophy.
Ian Murray recently spoke about the balance Dick gives at centre half.
Ngwenya has shown he is a capable defender but also offers attacking impetus on that flank.
He again showed his ability to carry the ball forward and beat players.
Ryan Nolan lost his place due to injury and has had to make do on the bench since.
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