Raith Rovers 0 Dunfermline 0

cinch Championship: Dan Pybus and Steven Lawless start in place of Graham Dorrans and Craig Wighton.

The first fixture of 2022 was the traditional New Year derby against Raith Rovers but it was just the fourth in the last twenty years to continue that history. Fourth placed Rovers faced ninth placed Dunfermline, John McGlynn’s team against John Hughes’.

Pars were without Graham Dorrans and Craig Wighton was on the bench. Into the starting eleven came Dan Pybus and new signing Steven Lawless. A welcome sight on the Pars bench was Lewis Martin, the first involvement for the 25 year old since March 2020.

The home side made three changes from the side that lost at Somerset Park in their last match - Aidan Connolly, Dylan Tait and Dario Zanatta found themselves on the substitutes’ bench and into the side came Matej Poplatnik and new signings Sam Stanton and Ben Williamson.

The 500 fans allowed in for this game were accommodated in the Penman Family Stand and despite the above average temperature for the time of year there was a strong and cold cross pitch wind. The sprinklers were switched off as the Dunfermline side entered the park from the corner at the far side of the McDermid Stand.

The teams changed ends before Poplatnik kicked off for Raith attacking the goal at the Penman Stand end. First opportunity came from a third minute thrown in when Josh Edwards was able to try a shot but he was well wide and high from 25 yards out.

Rovers captain was shown a yellow card in tenth minute after barging Pybus off the ball on the right but when Lawless delivered from the free kick the Rovers headed clear. The home side had the best chance of the match so far from a 20th minute free kick. Rhys Breen cut down Poplatnik to hand Raith the setpiece 35 yards out and when Ethan Ross sent the ball into the Pars box Tam Lang got his head to the ball but could only direct the ball firmly wide right.

At the other end an Allan free kick from a similar distance was narrowly missed by the inrunning Todd. Dunfermline then found themselves under a fair bit of pressure after Pybus conceded a free kick on the edge of the box. Ross drove the ball into the visitors’ wall and there were a couple of important blocked thereafter when crosses were prevented.

Owain Fôn Williams easily held a Williamson free kick fired at him from 30 yards out. Breen was up for a nicely flighted in free kick from Lawless in 28 minutes but the big centre back failed to make contact. Jamie Macdonald the Raith keeper had them to hold a Todd shot from the left and there were then another couple of chances for Dunfermline after Lewis McCann had his shot blocked by the keeper and Todd was off target with the resultant chance. Pybus finished the threat firing high and wide left.

With eight minutes to the interval lit was the home side’s turn to have a period of sustained pressure. After a Stanton free kick was headed behind by McCann three Ross corners were survived with Connolly clearing the closest thing over the bar. Back to the other end there were no takers as Dow pinged a ball across goal from the right.

It has been a first half in which neither keeper had a lot to do. The away side had five shots to their hosts one but at the break it was still goalless.

Half time: Raith Rovers 0 Dunfermline 0

A crunching tackle on McCann by Lang resulted in Dunfermline having an opportunity from a free kick 35 yards out on the left side. Allan powered the ball into the danger zone but the defence won out. Then two minutes later Allan’s short taken corner to Lawless was swung over by Edwards and Todd released a stinger of a low shot from the right side of the box that was blocked.

Raith Rovers were not to be forgotten and Stanton got in on the left side to hit a shot that Fon Williams parried away. Then on 62 minutes tenacity allowed Lawless a cross in from the right that McCann rose to meet but his header fell outside the right post. Dario Zanatta then became the first sub of the match replacing Matej Poplatnik.

Good close control from Ross Matthews forced himself deep into the right side of the Pars box but his shot was deflected for a corner from which Lang complained about being held but to no avail. Zanatta had an early chance as Fon Williams came and dwelt on a clearance. Fortunately he recovered to save the substitute’s effort.

At the midway point of the second half Kevin O’Hara replaced Matthew Todd and for Raith Dylan Tait was introduced for Ben Williamson. McCann was next to try a shot, controlling the ball well to turn and shoot from 16 yards out but again the effort was blocked.

Raith were afforded another good chance to alter the scoreline from a 22 yard free kick in a central position. There was no argument as Connolly hauled down Stanton but Ross hit the 74th minute setpiece narrowly over, hitting the sidenetting as it dropped right of goal.

Breen was the target for an 80th minute free kick delivered by Allan but the big centre back couldn’t control it and Raith had a bye kick that allowed Aidan Connolly to replace Ethan Ross. The game had become much more open with the introduction of the substitutes and both sides had counterattacks that might have yielded better.

Allan headed away a Dick cross and then Tumilty forced an 87th minute corner. Connolly sent the cross in from the right and Lang headed wide left. In 90th Macdonald held an overhead effort from Lawless and in a final Raith push Connolly headed away a Tumilty cross and it was to be the third draw of the season against the local rivals.

The one point takes Dunfermline one point clear of Morton in tenth with both sides having played 19 matches of the cinch Championship season.

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