Raith Rovers won their fourth Challenge Cup title on Sunday after dispatching Inverness Caley Thistle 4-1 at the neutral ground of Firhill. Hamish Rankine reports.
Raith pulled ahead in the opening half an hour, but Caley levelled things just before the break. The Rovers came out swinging in the second half though, and netted three goals in 14 minutes to bring the trophy back to Kirkcaldy.
Dougie Imrie made two changes to the side that overcame Ayr at Starks Park eight days earlier, with Paul Hanlon and Andy Winter both picking up injuries in the first half. The duo didn’t make the squad after being slated as “50/50’s” midweek, which saw Darragh O’Connor and Joshua Mullin take their places in the starting lineup.
Meanwhile, Inverness gaffer Scott Kellacher made three changes of his own after a 1-1 draw against Queen of the South nine days prior. Luis Longstaff and Alfie Bavidge dropped to the bench, whilst Billy McKay missed out entirely. The trio of Paul Allan, Liam Sole and Chanka Zimba all got the nod to start.
First Half
Inverness got things underway in front of the almost 5,000 fans who had travelled westward to support their respective team. However, it was Raith that got off to a lively start, breaking into Caley’s box and getting some close but ultimately tame efforts away on goal in the opening few minutes. Inverness settled somewhat and made some advances of their own, but would eventually undo their efforts after a mistake at the back…
With the half-hour mark a matter of seconds away, Inverness attempted to play out from the back following a throw-in. A mis-controlled pass gave the lurking Innes Cameron time to snatch possession on the edge of the box, before rifling one past Ross Munro and into the net from around 14 yards out.
Raith wouldn’t enjoy their lead for too long though, and were put under pressure after giving away a free kick just on the edge of their own box. Alfie Stewart spotted some space towards the right side of the goal, and curled a low effort around the wall and inside the near post for an equaliser in the 37th minute.
Second Half
Both teams emerged unchanged before the second half got underway, but The Rovers looked like a team with a point to prove following the restart…
A Raith set-piece in a near-identical location to Inverness’s came around the 55th minute, but Mullin opted to cross instead of going straight for goal – a decision which would go on to pay dividends. His curling ball in from the right found the foot of Cameron, who directed the ball goal-bound from four yards out to get Raith back in front, notching his second of the afternoon in doing so.
Raith didn’t let up, with Dylan Easton gathering the ball out wide in the 60th minute. The Rovers’ wide man drove forward from around 40 yards out before cutting his way into the box. A touch towards the by-line beat the Inverness defence, and a rocketed effort high into the net beat Munro between the sticks – putting Raith two goals up with around half an hour to go.
Easton continued to pile on the pressure and again won the ball high up the pitch. Raith’s showman danced his way into the box before letting fly, with this effort curling into the far side-netting for Raith’s fourth, and Easton’s second, just shy of the 70th minute.
Brace-bagging Cameron and Easton were substituted off around ten minutes later, with the former picking up the man-of-the-match award as full-time approached.
Inverness failed to really threaten in the second half, which allowed Raith to see out their three-goal lead in comfortable fashion. The full-time whistle ended Caley’s 16-match unbeaten streak, whilst awarding Raith with a record-levelling fourth Challenge Cup title.
The silverware makes Dougie Imrie just the fourth manager in Raith’s history to have lifted a national title, placing him amongst the names of John McGlynn, Grant Murray, and Jimmy Nicholl.
Inverness can now return to their all-important League One campaign, with a two-point gap separating the side from the top of the league. A game in hand goes in their favour, but the title is far from decided with five games to go, and a table-topping clash against Stenhousemuir this Saturday.
Raith enjoyed their well-earned celebrations, but all focus will now shift back to the league with just five games left of their Championship campaign. Morton make the trip to Starks Park this Saturday, which will see Iain Murray and Dougie Imrie re-acquaint with their former clubs.
