Raith Rovers’ promotion hopes are hanging by a thread following a 3-0 defeat against a Charlie Adam-inspired Dundee side.
A wrongly disallowed Reghan Tumilty goal when the hosts were just one down will be an ongoing source of frustration for the Fifers, who succumbed to a Jordan McGhee double and a late Osman Sow strike.
A Herculean challenge now awaits Rovers at Dens Park on Saturday.
Here, Courier Sport analyses the night from a Raith Rovers perspective; an evening which saw a fairytale campaign finally falter.
FLAG FRUSTRATION
Having prodded and probed through much of a frustrating first period, Raith Rovers — seeking to restore parity — finally succeeded in breaking down the Dundee defence as half-time approached.
Ross Matthews dashed down the left flank and zipped a pass to Lewis Vaughan, whose low cross was clinically converted by Regan Tumilty, ghosting in from the right-flank. A super team goal.
The only man who disagreed was assistant referee Alan Mulvanny — the man who deemed Christian Doidge ONSIDE as Hibs defeated Dundee United in the Scottish Cup final on Saturday — who raised his flag for offside.
The decision looked iffy from the press box 50 yards away. The TV replays illustrated that the call was actually immeasurably worse.
Although Jamie Gullan was standing, inactive, behind the last line of defence, Tumilty was at least a yard onside.
It is a real shame that an officiating error played such a major role in the contest, in spite of the ultimately comprehensive scoreline.
STICK OR TWIST
John McGlynn was faced with a big call when Rovers went 2-0 down: chase the game in a bid to halve arrears and give the Fifers renewed hope as they head north, or shut up shop to ensure the tie wasn’t lost before the first 90 minutes were complete?
In keeping with his attacking, no-holds-barred outlook this term, the Raith boss chose to twist; to commit bodies forward; high full-backs; midfielders bombing forwards and leaving gaps in behind.
It was manna from heaven for a fit, well-rested Dundee in the closing stages.
Energetic substitute Max Anderson was the man who broke the ragged defensive line on the break as the Dee made it three, with the youngster squaring for Osman Sow to prod beyond Jamie MacDonald. In that moment, Raith’s task on Saturday went from improbable to perhaps impossible.
A STRIKING DILEMMA
Jamie Gullan’s work ethic and physicality are not in question and, as a focal point to gather possession and bring others into the game, his potential value is clear.
However, the on-loan Hibs ace did not enjoy a fruitful outing at Stark’s Park and, much like in the victory over the Pars at the weekend, he ran himself into the ground for little reward.
Gullan has not found the net in his last five outings — he has scored four times in 16 outings all told since arriving in February — and did not look like altering that against the Dee.
Good morning Rovers fans! 💙@gozie_ugwu9 pic.twitter.com/3eC1pIVQ2m
— RRFC Official (@RaithRovers) May 9, 2021
Manny Duku, 10 goals in 26 games, was back on the bench on Wednesday evening and Gozie Ugwu, scorer of that Fife derby rasper against Dunfermline, is waiting for his opportunity to shine.
Whether in place of Gullan, or as part of a change in shape, McGlynn will undoubtedly give serious thought to fielding one of those front-men at Dens.
After all, goals, and a minor miracle, are the order of the day in Tayside.
JOHN McGLYNN’S BIGGEST CHALLENGE
Rovers boss McGlynn has rightly been lauded for his tactical outlook. The Kirkcaldy club are bright, inventive, play out from the back and produce some sumptuous football. However, McGlynn arguably faces his biggest tactical challenge yet.
For a second successive match against Dundee in the space of three weeks, James McPake’s strategy worked to perfection. The Dark Blues are more than content to sit back, allow Rovers to knock the ball about and look for a way through an organised unit.
Then, when those attacks break down, Dundee have no qualms about going direct and, in Charlie Adam, they have one of the best in the best in the business at carving teams open. His two assists illustrated that.
'Inch-perfect from Charlie Adam again!' 👏
It was Adam to McGhee once more as Dundee double their lead 👇
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) May 12, 2021
With a wave of the former Liverpool man’s left boot, the Dee can make the sort of progress it takes Rovers 20 passes and a remarkable level of precision and courage on the ball to achieve.
With a 3-0 lead in tow, Dundee can seek to make it Groundhog Day this weekend.
To mastermind a rousing comeback, without falling into that trap and leaving themselves terminally vulnerable once more, is a conundrum that even Brendan Rodgers — the man from whom McGlynn learned so much at Celtic — would struggle to solve.
