Colin Cameron has urged Raith Rovers to keep putting pressure on Dundee United – because he knows what it is like trying to see out a title race with Wolves.
The Stark’s Park number two was delighted to see Rovers eke out a 2-1 victory over Ayr United, thanks to a Dylan Easton stunner just before the break and a second-half Jack Hamilton penalty.
It was a badly-needed win considering United were romping to a 5-0 triumph at Hampden against Queen’s Park.
Raith’s own success keeps the gap at four points ahead of their game in hand against Airdrie on Tuesday.
And Cameron has praised Easton and Hamilton for coming up trumps on an important afternoon for the Kirkcaldy men.
“At this stage of the season, it’s not so much about the performance,” he said after a display spoiled by horrendous weather conditions.
“Yes, you would want the performance to be different class.
“But on a day like today it’s about not making mistakes in the conditions and taking your chances when they come along.
“I thought Dylan Easton’s goal was one of the real bits of quality within the game.
Pressure on Jack Hamilton
“And Jack despatched the penalty well.
“There was a bit of pressure on Jack, given the circumstances. The boys didn’t know but we knew United were comfortable.
“Outwith that, there was a lot of pressure on him because all the boys know we really need to win.
“I thought he handled it very well and took it very calmly. That will do his confidence no harm at all.”
Cameron was part of the last Raith team to reach the Premier in 1995 and is determined to pass on any knowledge he can to the current team.
And he insists his experience with Wolves in trying to reach the English top-flight also gives Rovers hope for the run-in.
The Molineux outfit slipped up in his first season south of the border in season 2001-02 but redeemed themselves just 12 months later.
“We can’t influence anything that happens outwith our game,” he said of United’s victory.
“So, all we can do is try to keep winning the games remaining and if there’s slip-ups elsewhere then brilliant.
“It’s a big week because we’ve got three games in a week.
Gap
“But there was no point in looking at Airdrie on Tuesday or next Saturday because if we hadn’t won today it becomes really, really difficult to get back close to United.
“All we’ve done is keep that gap the same.
“And on Tuesday if we can win it just puts a wee bit of pressure on them for the last four games. That’s all we can do.”
He added: “I’ve been in both situations. In the first season I was down at Wolves we led for three-quarters of the season and it’s not easy getting over that line when you’ve got people chasing you.
“In the end, we failed that season.
“Then, the next season, we were chasing and ended up winning promotion through the play-offs.
“All we can do is put pressure on United, and there’s more pressure on them than there is us.
“There’s always been pressure on them to win the league, because they’re expected to with the biggest budget and having just come down from the Premiership.
“They’ve had to deal with that pressure all season. But now there’s pressure on us, and the players have got to take a lot of credit for that and embrace it and enjoy it.
“You would far rather have that than the pressure at the other end of the table, struggling to get wins to stay alive.”
