Raith Rovers 1 Forfar Athletic 0

SPFL Trust Trophy, 2nd Round

Saturday 4 September 2021

Stark's Park, Kirkcaldy

Despite a brave at times back to the wall showing, the ‘Loons’ bowed out of the SPFL Trust Trophy against Championship opposition at the second round stage at Starks Park yesterday in front of a crowd of 842.

Manager Gary Irvine made five changes to the starting line-up from the previous weekend, with Michael Travis, Jamie Ness, Grant Anderson, Gary Harkins and Steven Doris, replacing Andy Munro, Archie Thomas, PJ Crossan, Stefan McCluskey and Matthew Aitken.

After some early pressure from Rovers was dealt with comfortably, it was the visitors who had the best chance of the opening ten minutes when Steven Doris lashed the ball over the crossbar from 14 yards out after good work on the right by Craig Thomson.

However, Raith attacking the Val McDermid stand end populated by the fifty travelling fans cane close when Matej Poplatnik saw his effort just clear the woodwork prior to the deadlock being broken in the 23^rd minute when the player in the home team wearing the number 23 shirt by coincidence got on the score sheet.  Marc McCallum did his best to deny the visitors the lead with a breathtaking save in the build-up, but it was Blaise Riley–Snow who netted eventually from close range.

There was no further scoring in what was, in general, a low key first 45, but four minutes into the second period, the visitors had an escape when a Poplantik strike hit the inside of the post and rebounded to safety before Marc again distinguished himself a tipping a Dylan Tait free-kick on to the crossbar.

Gary utilised all five substitutes available to him as the second half wore on, Marc again showing his class to deny Rovers sub Josh Keatings, before Forfar squandered one last opportunity to take the game to a penalty shoot-out.    Craig Thomson was again the architect on the right flank, his cut back falling into the path of Matty Aitken some ten yards out but the big striker failed to make the desired connection.

John McGlynn’s side were in the end in all probability deserved winners, but the Athies management team will have been delighted to have seen vital game time in a competitive environment gained by certain squad members.

A worry however will have been the second-half injury picked up by Michael Travis which will no doubt be assessed at Monday night’s training session.

It is now back to the important business of attempting to maintain an unbeaten league record for the ‘Loons’ players with trips to Stirling and Cowdenbeath on the ‘menu’ for the next two weekends before Albion Rovers are the visitors to Station Park on the 25^th of the month.

Forfar lined up at Starks Park;- McCallum, Meechan Strachan, S. Anderson, Travis (Irvine), Slater, Thomson, Ness(Gallagher), Doris(Aitken), Harkins(McCluskey), G. Anderson(Crossan)

Subs not used – Hussain, Thomas, Shepherd, Sanderson