RAITH ROVERS 2 PARS 0

A massive travelling support packed out the McDermid Stand at Starks Park as the first Fife Derby spoils went to the home side.

After losing 2-1 to Hibs at Easter Road last week, the Pars were keen to get back to winning ways against a buoyant Raith side, high on confidence after their convincing victory over St Mirren saw them top the league table.

The Pars made one change from the outing against Hibs, with Callum Fordyce dropping to the bench for Lee Ashcroft, who had served a one-game suspension Raith were first to threaten when a ball from the left found Ross Matthews, who fired well over from six yards.

Rhys McCabe then had Aaron Lennox worried as his speculative drive from 30 yards went inches over the crossbar.

It was a cautious start before the game sprung into a life with two hard challenges in quick succession on 23 minutes. Jason Thomson went in from behind on Gavin Reilly, before Joe Cardle was taken out after the whistle by Matthews. Both sides reacted and surrounded the ref, with Matthews firstly booked for his challenge, before Higginbotham received a yellow card for his protests.

Cardle was clipped at the edge of the box by Ross Callachan, and Higginbotham forced Lennox to tip his effort over the bar from the resulting free-kick.

Declan McManus was causing problems for Ben Richards-Everton throughout the first-half, and after a tussle on the ball, the Pars centre-back handled on the edge of the area.

Lewis Vaughan’s disguised shot on goal from the free-kick forced Hutton into a smart save over the bar.

Chances were at a premium as the sides went in at the break level, with neither team able to force themselves into the lead. Reilly’s low drive was an easy save for Lennox, and that’s as close as the Pars came to opening the scoring as the first-half came to a close, with many counter attacks breaking down too easily.

The second half started much the same as the first, with clear-cut chances few and far between.

The Rovers support appealed strongly for a penalty when McManus went down in the box, but Richards-Everton got to the ball before the on-loan Fleetwood striker.

A trademark run down the right by Ryan Williamson ended in a powerful strike with the home keeper managing to tip the ball past the far post on 51 minutes, after being set up by the quiet Michael Moffat.

A goalmouth scramble ensued from a Pars corner with a Raith body able to clear the ball off the line, with the away side ready to pounce.

Lewis Martin then saved the Pars from falling behind after McManus went clean through on goal with just the keeper to beat on 69 minutes. The left-back made an inch perfect tackle to deny the striker in the box. The sigh of relief was short lived however, as Raith etched themselves ahead.

The ball made its way to Bobby Barr on the right, who cut inside and his low effort from the edge of the area squeezed under the hand of Hutton, after taking a slight deflection off a Pars defender, in the Pars goal on 71 minutes.

A driven effort from Rudolf Skacel then smacked the post as Raith looked for another.

The home side were growing in confidence and they soon made it two. A loose ball midway in the Pars half was picked up by Kevin McHattie, who played the ball to the feet of substitute Mark Stewart.

The striker cut inside his marker with ease and fired a brilliant curling effort high into the top corner to send the home fans into delirium on 79 minutes. The game ended with Rovers firmly on the ascendency as they kept their perfect start to the season going for another week.

TEAMS

Raith: Lennox, Thomson, M’Voto, Benedictus, McHattie, Matthews, Callachan, Thompson (Skacel 67), Barr, Vaughan (Stewart 75), McManus (Roberts 88)

Subs not used: Cuthbert, Stewart, Osei, Coustrain
Booked: Matthews, Thompson, Skacel
Goals: Barr 71, Stewart 79

PARS: Hutton, Williamson, Ashcroft, Richards-Everton, Martin (Talbot 80), Cardle, Geggan, McCabe (Paton 75), Higginbotham, Reilly, Moffat (Hopkirk 59)

Subs not used: Gill, McMullan, Spence, Fordyce
Booked: Higginbotham, Richards-Everton, Geggan

Attendance: 5114
Referee: Alan Muir