Match Preview/Thread - Raith Rovers vs Morton (9th April)

[EanieMeany]

Not really a great deal to be said about that that hasn’t already been said before about other games, but we should definitely be aiming for 5th place now. Raith have been falling apart for months now and losing today effectively ends their season, I wouldn’t be too surprised if they don’t pick up any more points tbh so they’re very much there to be caught.

[Drew Busby's Moustache]

Thats the Starks Park monkey off our back.

[so72]

Only Killie and Arbroath have picked up more points than Morton since Dougie took over. We were on 13 points after 17 games under Gus (I think?) and have picked up 27 points in 16 games under Imrie. 

 

 

Sublime 

[C B]

How many points behind Raith were we when Dougie took over ??

Amazing what the right man in charge can do for a team

[irnbru]

Wasn't our best performance but enough to grind our a result again. Bit concerned that we seem to do a lot of last ditch defending after scoring first and can't build on that but will take the result (it's probably a result of McLean and Lithgow being slow and tire towards the end of games).

Credit to big Muirhead as well. Amazing what a bit of confidence can do for a player. 

[dunning1874]

That's an excellent result, and we're safe now. Iain Wilson is so, so good.

[Daleston]

Only issue was the goal never came from a Strappy throw in 

[TRVMP]

6 hours ago, C B said:

How many points behind Raith were we when Dougie took over ??

Amazing what the right man in charge can do for a team

After our 16th game, when we drew 2-2 with Ayr and Gus got bagged, we had 13 points. Raith drew 0-0 at Gayfield that day to put them on 30 points.

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/scottish-championship/spieltagtabelle/wettbewerb/SC2?saison_id=2021&spieltag=16

In the 17 games since we've managed 27 points. Dunfermline have managed 19, QotS a tiny 13 (albeit with one game in hand.) Raith, for their part, have also managed just 13.

If the season started on matchday 17, when Imrie came in, the table would look like this (asterisk = game in hand):

Team	Points	PPG
Killie	34	2.00
Arbroath	31	1.82
Morton	27	1.59
Hamilton	23	1.35
Ayr	21	1.24
Partick	21	1.24
Inverness*	19	1.19
DAFC	19	1.12
QotS*	13	0.81
Raith	13	0.76

edit: as @Madton points out this is actually inclusive of two games Derek Anderson managed. It was matchday 19 when Imrie joined. Here is the table from that point on:

Team	Played	Points	PPG
Killie	15	31	2.07
Morton	15	27	1.80
Arbroath	15	25	1.67
Ayr	15	20	1.33
Hamilton	15	19	1.27
DAFC	15	19	1.27
Partick	15	18	1.20
Inverness*	14	16	1.14
Raith	15	10	0.67
QotS*	15	9	0.60

Even better and, had we started the season that way, we'd be in an excellent playoff position at the correct end of the table.

Given the difficult run when Imrie had his suspension and the lack of a major rebuild in January, with just a couple in and a couple out, it's a remarkable achievement. Gus had 0.80 PPG! (In other words, had Gus continued as he had been, we'd probably be adrift in 9th and not yet safe from QoS.)

It's been an amazing turnaround. Dick Campbell is a stick-on for manager of the year - and he deserves it - but Imrie's not a million miles off it either.

[TaunTon]

The difference since we binned MacPherson with a motivated determined  young manager is quite remarkable and Dougie has to be credited with the turnaround. Anyone with half a brain could see that Gus was a poor choice and sticking with him would have seen us relegated by now.

The players have reacted positively to having a manager who wants to win and although we're some distance from having all the pieces the progress is huge.

We're hopefully looking to challenge for 5th and how many could have predicted that in Dec.

[port-ton]

We've actually let an incredible chance of the playoffs out our grasp in recent weeks as well by failing to hold on to leads for whatever reason. We could have been looking at an even better league table with a bit of luck. 

Players and staff deserve all the credit. Hopefully we can start thinking about getting some players signed up for next season now. 

[Cet Homme Charmant]

If you'd told me immediately after the 1-6 humping at home to ICT In December that we'd be sitting 6th and challenging for 5th with 3 games go, I'd have thought you were mad. The turn around under Sir Dougie is nothing short of astonishing.

Will be really interesting to see who Dougie keeps and recruits over the summer. Genuinely excited for the first season under his squad, really looking forward to it. With his vision, attitude, conviction and enthusiasm, I'm convinced he'll be able to attract the quality of players who wouldn't even have considered us under Gus or his recent predecessors. 

[TONofmemories]

19 minutes ago, port-ton said:

We've actually let an incredible chance of the playoffs out our grasp in recent weeks as well by failing to hold on to leads for whatever reason. We could have been looking at an even better league table with a bit of luck. 

Players and staff deserve all the credit. Hopefully we can start thinking about getting some players signed up for next season now. 

Or abysmal refereeing performances

[Cet Homme Charmant]

4 minutes ago, TONofmemories said:

Or abysmal refereeing performances

Agree. The general standard of refereeing is so poor that no doubt all teams can give examples where they can feel aggrieved, e.g., QoS last night, but I can't help but feeling we've suffered more than most. The three disallowed goals against Ayr, at least two of which were perfectly legitimate, is just one example of many.

[DumfriesTon]

'There's only one Robbie Muirhead' being sung around Starks Park today - who would have thought that would have happened after the hand gestures in the 6-1 Inverness game. 

An absolute superb bit of skill and finish for the goal. 

What a job Imrie has done - only 2 defeats since he came in. Really excited to see what he can do with a full pre season and his own squad. Get in thereee!

[RossMcC1874]

Absolutely brilliant result. Had a feeling we would get the 3 points but it was very close and they should have scored in the first half. 

That goal was class by Muirhead cut inside and hammered past Macdonald, great battling performance and some atmosphere in the away end some turn around now only 3 points behind them for the playoffs that is unbelievable when you consider where we were under that other moron. 

[Cet Homme Charmant]

I missed it cos I was taking a piss, d'oh! Sounds like his goal against Motherwell.

[SpoonTon]

1 hour ago, dunning1874 said:

That's an excellent result, and we're safe now. Iain Wilson is so, so good.

He took a while to get going but I always got the impression that Dougie really saw a player in him and thought it worthwhile keeping him in the team for the longer term. 

[SassenachTon]

1 hour ago, Cet Homme Charmant said:

If you'd told me immediately after the 1-6 humping at home to ICT In December that we'd be sitting 6th and challenging for 5th with 3 games go, I'd have thought you were mad. The turn around under Sir Dougie is nothing short of astonishing.

Will be really interesting to see who Dougie keeps and recruits over the summer. Genuinely excited for the first season under his squad, really looking forward to it. With his vision, attitude, conviction and enthusiasm, I'm convinced he'll be able to attract the quality of players who wouldn't even have considered us under Gus or his recent predecessors. 

100% agree, CHC. What's impressed me more than anything else is the fact that the roll started on day #1 and has continued - most teams who get a new manager achieve a few decent results quickly, but the euphoria soon wears off. Nothing like that here with Dougie and Ton. He's got them battling like I've not seen for years. I also think that an ex-player who's 'walked the walk' inevitably commands more respect from players than a suit with no on-the-field experience. I also love his honesty. If we've been shite - he says it like it is. No excuses, no waffle, no bullshit. An inspired hiring by the board.

[Alibi]

5th place is attainable. That would be superb.

[Scott]

Really excited to see where Imrie could take us next season. Should we be officially clear of 9th after 5pm next Saturday the club should be announcing the following Monday: 

1. Early bird season tickets for next season

2. Imrie 1 year contract extension. I’ve the fear if we get off to a great start next season some teams might look at poaching him early. 
 

What a turnaround. Couldn’t make today but last time in Kirkcaldy was a miserable experience. Dougie has done an amazing job.