13th Apr 2024 Raith Rovers 0 Partick Thistle 0 (SPFL Championship - game 33)

matches:2023-24: ← 43game 4445 →

	Ian Murray	Kris Doolan	37y, 4m, 2d

		Ben Stanway; Zander MacKenzie
		Steven Lawless; Scott Robinson



Scott Brown; Dylan Easton		Jack McMillan; Aaron Muirhead

Kyle Turner (Dylan Easton, HT); Zak Rudden (Lewis Vaughan, 59 mins); Sam Stanton (Jack Hamilton, 77 mins); Callum Smith (Scott McGill, 86 mins); Josh Mullin (Aidan Connolly, 86 mins)		Zander MacKenzie (Kieran Ngwenya, 87 mins); Ben Stanway (Blair Alston, 90+2 mins)

	Kevin Dąbrowski	David Mitchell	34y, 0m, 9d
	James Brown	Jack McMillan	26y, 3m, 26d
	Liam Dick	Harry Milne	27y, 5m, 15d
	Keith Watson	Luke McBeth	24y, 7m, 4d
	Euan Murray	Aaron Muirhead	33y, 7m, 14d
	Scott Brown	Lewis Neilson	20y, 10m, 29d
	Sam Stanton	Ben Stanway	19y, 6m, 24d
	Josh Mullin	Zander MacKenzie	18y, 7m, 16d
	former Jag Zak Rudden	Brian Graham	36y, 4m, 21d
	former Jag Kyle Turner	Kerr McInroy	23y, 7m, 13d
	Callum Smith	Aidan Fitzpatrick	23y, 0m, 24d

			26y, 2m, 13d

	Andrew McNeil	Ross Stewart	29y, 0m, 3d
	Ross Mathews	Kieran Ngwenya	21y, 6m, 19d
	Lewis Vaughan	Blair Alston	32y, 0m, 21d
	Dylan Corr	Ricco Diack	18y, 11m, 6d
	Jack Hamilton	Ché Campbell	17y, 5m, 25d
	Shaun Byrne	Thomas Horn	17y, 3m, 2d
	Dylan Easton	Ceiran Loney	16y, 1m, 0d
	Scott McGill
	Aidan Connolly

notes

Both sides generally in playing order.
Thistle filled only 7 of their 9 allocated bench slots.

TTA report

The swirling wind didn't help the players and clear-cut chances were few. Rovers had some early chances then Fitzpatrick's 20yd shot was deflected on to the bar. Chances in the second half came mostly from Rovers but Fitzpatrick also went close. Thistle almost stole it at the end when Alston's 22yd free-kick clattered the bar (90+3).

TTA man of the match

Unusually, the Stark's Park tannoy called out a MOTM for both teams and BEN STANWAY got the namecheck which was the right call, his battling and energy contributing greatly to a point well earned.

Media report

Craig Cairns, 13-Apr-2024, The Courier

The week of the Grand National is the week that the Scottish Championship officially became a one-horse race. Failing to win either of their two home games this week means Raith Rovers will more than likely be contesting the Premiership play-offs. Their latest result, a 0-0 draw with Partick Thistle – a side they may meet in those games – leaves Rovers six points behind an in-form Dundee United with nine points left to play for. It followed a crushing midweek defeat to Airdrie in Raith’s game in hand over the league leaders. The draw with Thistle means Raith will finish no lower than second but also gives United the chance to secure the title as early as next week.

The Kirkcaldy weather matched the recent temperamental Raith form. A deluge of rain fell before kick-off made way for periods of bright sunshine throughout the first half. There was a swirling wind throughout both that affected both team’s play. After an early threat from Thistle, Raith took control of possession though did not create the chances their dominance justified. Zak Rudden should have done better with a 17th-minute header that was easily pushed away by David Mitchell after a Josh Mullin cross. Mullin, one of five changes by Ian Murray, was lively and centred another ball that Sam Stanton couldn’t get enough on. Partick Thistle came close just before half-time on the counter when Aidan Fitzpatrick cut inside an unleashed from outside the area. Euan Murray got his head in the way and took the ball onto the underside of the bar via a slight tip from Kevin Dabrowski.

Raith turned to their strong bench at the break, bringing on Dylan Easton for Kyle Turner. Thistle had the first chance of the half when Brian Graham fired a shot just outside the far post. Then after a nice move down the right, Zander Mackenzie tried his luck but his shot was weak and saved by Dabrowski. Still not satisfied, Murray made another change, this time calling for top scorer Lewis Vaughan. The long-serving Rover was soon involved when his shot was deflected wide for a corner before winning a free kick just outside the area from the next attack. He was involved again when Mullin’s cross was eventually sent over the bar by Stanton, as Rovers started to pile on the pressure. Another save from Dabrowski, again from a Fitzpatrick effort, showed that Thistle were still a threat. There were further efforts for Easton and another from Vaughan, and Dabrowski had to be alert to deny Graham but neither side was able to find the breakthrough. Thistle ended the second half like they did the second: striking the bar, this time through substitute Blair Alston from a free kick.

Reaction

Partick Thistle manager Kris Doolan (speaking to Jagzone):

We could have scored two worldie goals and Blair Alston's one would have been a fairytale. We decided to quickly throw him on to take the free-kick and, but for 2 inches of a crossbar, it could have been a different story. I think both teams had some chances, Mitch makes a good save early in the first half, but I still felt that defensively we were strong even though Raith, as they do, throw a lot at you at times, but we stood up to all of that, while still carrying a threat at the other side. All in all, another good point, and at this stage in the season it keeps the run going.

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