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Raith Rovers
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Inverness CT
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Appearances & Goals To Date
Starting Lineup
| Youngest Player: | Ross Tokely (25 years 54 days) |
| Oldest Player: | Bobby Mann (2005 years 267 days) |
| Average Player Age: | 25 years 54 days |
| Domestic Players: | 11 (100.00 % of starting eleven) |
Matchday Squad
| Youngest Player: | David Proctor (20 years 55 days) |
| Oldest Player: | Michael Fraser (2005 years 267 days) |
| Average Player Age: | 22 years 237 days |
| Domestic Players: | 16 (100.00 % of matchday squad) |
First Team Debuts
Milestones
John Robertson's 50th league game in charge ended with a vital win. With Clyde taking just a point from Dingwall the league race is again wide open.
The price of the cup performance was the absence of injured Russell Duncan for the first time this season. Mark Brown was also a doubt but in the end he played.
The Raith defence had a torrid first half and lost a goal in only the second minute. Darren Mackie ran from the halfway line and crossed from the right edge of the box. Paul Ritchie prodded home from six yards as David Berthelot tried to beat him to the ball.
The score could easily have multiplied but somehow the Raith defence held out. Berthelot blocked a Mackie first time shot in 15 minutes and ten minutes later Berthelot gratefully caught the ball as Mackie mishit. Steve Hislop shot wide on the half hour mark then Berthelot saved again from Mackie. The Berthelot/Mackie battle continued and the winger lifted it over the bar in 37 minutes as the keeper came out to challenge.
In 40 minutes the keeper gave away a free kick for holding the ball too long. Bobby Mann touched it to Richie Hart but his strike was deflected wide.
Raith rarely challenged Brown in the first half but right on the whistle an Andy Dow free kick found Ryan Maxwell via Salvador Capin but his shot flew wide.
Half Time 0-1
Raith improved after the break but the closest they came to scoring was when Roy McBain cleared off the line from a Jonathan Smart header in 75 minutes.
Berthelot saved from McBain and David Proctor to keep the score down and a Hislop 'goal' was chalked off for offside.
In injury time Berthelot raced out of his goal to tackle Mackie and immediately cleared upfield to substitute Craig O'Reilly. He shot early but it went across goal and wide.
The task is now simple; three wins and the title comes North! Raith's relegation fight is not yet over.
Match report written by tm4tj