Ian Murray says his Raith Rovers team are ‘knackered’ after semi-final win but ‘the games can’t come quick enough’

Ian Murray was delight with his Raith Rovers side after they came from 2-0 down to record an astonishing penalty-shootout win over Dundee.

Goals from William Akio and Sam Stanton levelled the scores after Lyall Cameron’s first-half double gave the home side what seemed like an unassailable lead.

Extra-time didn’t separate the side and so it took penalties, with Raith keeper Robbie Thomson saving from Max Anderson and Zach Robinson hitting the post for Dundee, cancelling out Aidan Connolly’s miss.

The Rovers boss said the players had earned the next day off after their performance – though it was partly down to being forced to play 120 minutes ahead of their Scottish Cup match versus Motherwell on Saturday.

“The boys are knackered,” said Murray, “we’ll recover them as much as we can.

Day off

“We’re going to give them Thursday off – [extra-time] wasn’t on our schedule.

“But we’ll get back in at midnight tonight and then back in at half nine in the morning? That’s not going to work for is.

“We’ll trust them to do their own thing – and we know they’ll do the right thing because it’s a big game on Saturday.

“A bit of TLC for some guys and a bit of football work for others.

“But when you’re on a run like that and you are showing character and belief, the games can’t come quick enough.”

“I thought they were excellent,” he added. “We took a lot of knocks in the first half because Dundee came flying out the traps.

“It’s a tough place to come, so to never give up and show that belief and no short of good quality as well in the game.

“We should real trust and belief in each other, I can’t speak highly of them enough tonight.”

First-half change

Rovers lined up in a back three but made a change before the break, taking off defender Adam Masson for Connolly – one of two outfield substitutes – and switching to a three.

The change instantly improved Murray’s side and they were eventually rewarded with two late goals.

“We go to a back three to win the game on [versus Arbroath] on Saturday, then we start with a back three tonight and we’re 2-0 down.

“Individual players, at the end of the day, make your team.

“Young Adam [Masson] had a really tough night tonight. I said to him at half-time there is absolutely no shame, we’ve all been there.

“It was for the good of the team and the boys have pulled through.

“Adam is a good young player and will be huge part of the club going forward in the next few years.”