Ian Murray was thrilled to see Raith Rovers make Dundee United ‘work’ for the Championship title after victory over Inverness Caley Thistle.
Lewis Vaughan’s cute finish early in the second-half separated the sides despite a strong late surge from the hosts, who struck the woodwork four times in the 90 minutes.
It hauls the Stark’s Park side to within three points of United at the top of the table ahead of the Terrors’ meeting with Ayr United on Saturday afternoon.
With then just another two games remaining, Murray was delighted to at least delay the Tangerines celebrations – for now.
“There’s nothing we can do about United,” he said. “If we’ve played 36 games and they’re top then they deserve to win the league.
“That’s the way it is and we’ll move on to the next stage.
“We wanted to make them work for it and make them take it off us rather than us giving it to them.
“The players have done that and I can’t ask for much more.
“That’s 19 wins now. In this league, that’s really tough. And it’s 18 by a goal, which says it all, really.
‘Deserve a lot of credit’
“I’d like to have won much more handsomely at times, but in some games we’ve deserved to and in others we haven’t.
“Tonight could easily have been a draw or an Inverness win.
“So, for us, to get 19 wins and our 11th away from home is fantastic. The guys deserve a lot of credit.”
As well as hitting the post once and the bar three times, Inverness found Raith keeper Kevin Dabrowski in inspired form with a string of stunning saves.
Murray was full of praise for the former Hibernian youngster.
“I think Kevin’s had a brilliant season, I really do,” he said.
“The PFA (Championship) team came out today and how Kevin’s not in it I don’t know. I’m guessing that might not be down to football reasons because he’s the best goalie in the league, for me, pound for pound.
“He’s a youngster and in his first season as a number one, and he’s competing at a high end of a tough league.
“The saves he pulls off have been remarkable.
“Like any young player, and goalie in particular, he’s got a howler in him, like we all have.
Outstanding
“But we know that and we realise that, and over the piece he’s been outstanding.”
Vaughan also won plaudits for the way he finished off a flick on from Euan Murray for the 49th-minute clincher.
“It was a brilliant finish,” beamed Murray. “I would have just blasted that with my left foot and just hoped it went in.
“Lewis has taken it with the outside of his right foot and dinked it. He just moved the direction and the speed of the ball really well.
“A bit of quality at that moment has won us the game. He’s another player I thought would have had a chance for the team of the year.”
