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Ian Murray assesses Raith Rovers’ season and reveals the match when squad’s attitude ‘really hit home’

The Stark's Park boss reflected on his first season in charge of the Scottish Championship club.

Raith Rovers manager Ian Murray says there have been more positives than negatives this season. Images: SNS.
Raith Rovers manager Ian Murray says there have been more positives than negatives this season. Images: SNS.

Ian Murray said that the week of Raith Rovers’ incredible comeback versus Dundee and subsequent win over Motherwell was their best work of the season.

Though he picks a less glamorous game when asked for his highlight: the 2-0 victory over then-league leaders Queen’s Park last month.

It followed defeat in the SPFL Trust Trophy final the week before and told Murray a lot about his players.

“I thought it was fantastic,” Murray tells Courier Sport. “We’ve played better, but bouncing back from the cup final, our appetite and desire were excellent.

“The clean sheet was nice and it was a comprehensive 2-0 win. We deserved to win the game, but I think the boys showed me their attitude that day.

“It really hit home that day that they were hungry to do well as a group, do well as a club and do well for me.

“But the week when we went up to Arbroath and won, then we went to Dens and won on penalties, then we beat Motherwell – that was probably our best working week.”

Success can bring disappointment

The Raith Rovers manager has brought an exciting style of football to Stark’s Park this season and even though it may have petered out somewhat, his side have put on some cracking shows.

Ian Murray says there have been more positives than negatives this season. Image: SNS.

A seventh-place finish is slightly disappointing but deserved, according to Murray, and overall there “have been more positives than negatives”.

“I’m quite happy with the season,” he adds.

“We’ve had disappointments along the way, like most teams, but sometimes disappointment comes with success beforehand.

“Getting to the quarter-final of the Scottish Cup for the first time in seven or eight years was great.

“It was the first time we beat a club from a higher division in the Scottish Cup at home in 50 years, our longest unbeaten run for about 20 years, another cup final – they’re all good achievements.

“We’d have liked to have won the final and be higher up in the league, but we probably are where we deserve to be.

“Some will argue we deserve a bit more but we’ve not scored enough goals and we’ve had too many draws.

“In terms of the overall package, I’d say there have been more positives than negatives.”

Team news

The Rovers boss’ squad is looking in slightly better shape than it did last weekend as Tom Lang and Lewis Vaughan return from suspension.

Lewis Vaughan is back from suspension but there are doubts over Ethan Ross. Image: SNS.

However, there are doubts over Ross Millen and Ethan Ross going into the final game of the season at home to Partick Thistle on Friday.

There is positive news on Jamie Gullan, who has returned to training this week and will hopefully be involved in the match-day squad.

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