Match ends, Raith Rovers 3, Queen of the South 4.
Raith Rovers 3-4 Queen of the South
- From the section Football
Ten-man Queen of the South leapfrogged Raith Rovers into third place in the Championship thanks to a deflected stoppage-time shot from Iain Russell.
John Baird fired the visitors ahead early on and Gavin Reilly added a second after the interval.
Rovers' substitute Mark Stewart scored with his first touch and Christian Nade levelled before Kevin Holt's dismissal.
Queens regained the lead with a Derek Lyle header only for Stewart to strike again but Russell had the last say.
The depleted Dumfries side were holding on at the end, with keeper Zander Clark making a fantastic save to keep out a close-range shot from Paul Watson.
But the Doonhamers remained a threat on the break and, with home custodian Ross Laidlaw in less than convincing form, were always in with a chance.
And so it proved when Lyle laid the ball off for Russell on the edge of the penalty area and the midfielder's shot skidded low into the far corner of the net via a slight touch off a defender.
It capped a breathless night of entertainment in Kirkcaldy, with the visitors perhaps rewarded for their first-half dominance.
Baird, making just his second start of the season, had already flashed a header wide and hit the bar with a lobbed shot before he rammed the ball in against his former club on seven minutes.
Clark made a good flying save to keep out back post header from Martin Scott but Laidlaw was by far the busier keeper as Ian McShane, Reilly and the lively Danny Carmichael all threatened.
A Carmichael header hit the base of post shortly before Queens extended their lead, with the same player coolly picking out Reilly for a close-range finish.
Having survived a strong penalty claim when Russell was clipped by Liam Fox, Rovers, who had only lost twice in the league prior to kick-off, were given a new lease of life when Stewart volleyed in a headed flick from Scott.
And the game was suddenly all square after a shot from Ryan Conroy was parried by Clark only to cannon in off the chunky thighs of the advancing Nade.
The burly Rovers striker then went close with two headers and a home win looked the likelier result when Holt was shown a red card for a lunging challenge on Jason Thomson.
But it was Queens who went back in front as Lyle steered a clever header from a Russell centre beyond Laidlaw.
The Stark's Park crowd were treated to yet more thrills as Stewart converted a drilled cross from Scott before the injured Nade was carried off on a stretcher.
With play still raging from end to end at a rapid rate of knots beyond the 90-minute mark, Russell made a goal-line clearance and Clark somehow denied Watson in a congested penalty box and that allowed Queens to summon the energy for the decisive strike.
Line-ups
Raith Rovers
- 17Laidlaw
- 2Thomson
- 4WatsonBooked at 44mins
- 24Ellis
- 23McKeown
- 14Conroy
- 6Fox
- 8MoonSubstituted forStewartat 58'minutes
- 19McKaySubstituted forAndersonat 58'minutes
- 11Scott
- 27NadeBooked at 62minsSubstituted forVaughanat 87'minutes
Substitutes
- 7Anderson
- 9Stewart
- 12Callachan
- 16Vaughan
- 20McGurn
- 31Matthews
- 32Bates
Queen of Sth
- 1ClarkBooked at 62mins
- 12Kidd
- 4Dowie
- 6Higgins
- 3HoltBooked at 73mins
- 17Carmichael
- 8KerrSubstituted forDzierzawskiat 88'minutes
- 18McShane
- 11Russell
- 9BairdSubstituted forFowlerat 73'minutes
- 10ReillySubstituted forLyleat 71'minutes
Substitutes
- 16Dzierzawski
- 19Lyle
- 20Atkinson
- 21Slattery
- 22Hooper
- 23Smith
- 26Fowler
- Referee:
- Alan Muir
- Attendance:
- 1,552
Match Stats
Home TeamRaith RoversAway TeamQueen of Sth
- Possession
- Home50%
- Away50%
- Shots
- Home19
- Away23
- Shots on Target
- Home10
- Away8
- Corners
- Home7
- Away9
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away7
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Raith Rovers 3, Queen of the South 4.
Goal!
Goal! Raith Rovers 3, Queen of the South 4. Iain Russell (Queen of the South) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Derek Lyle.
Foul by Lewis Vaughan (Raith Rovers).
Ian McShane (Queen of the South) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. Jason Thomson (Raith Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Attempt missed. Iain Russell (Queen of the South) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Corner, Raith Rovers. Conceded by Chris Higgins.
Attempt blocked. Laurie Ellis (Raith Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Corner, Raith Rovers. Conceded by Andy Dowie.
Corner, Raith Rovers. Conceded by Chris Higgins.
Attempt blocked. Martin Scott (Raith Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Foul by Lewis Vaughan (Raith Rovers).
(Queen of the South) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Queen of the South. Kevin Dzierzawski replaces Mark Kerr.
Substitution
Substitution, Raith Rovers. Lewis Vaughan replaces Christian Nade because of an injury.
Attempt missed. Grant Anderson (Raith Rovers) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
Attempt missed. Christian Nade (Raith Rovers) header from the centre of the box misses to the left.
Attempt missed. Derek Lyle (Queen of the South) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Jason Thomson (Raith Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Derek Lyle (Queen of the South).
Goal!
Goal! Raith Rovers 3, Queen of the South 3. Mark Stewart (Raith Rovers) left footed shot from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Martin Scott.
Attempt blocked. Grant Anderson (Raith Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Corner, Raith Rovers. Conceded by Andy Dowie.
Goal!
Goal! Raith Rovers 2, Queen of the South 3. Derek Lyle (Queen of the South) from a free kick with a header to the top left corner.
Foul by Ryan Conroy (Raith Rovers).
James Fowler (Queen of the South) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Substitution
Substitution, Queen of the South. James Fowler replaces John Baird.
Dismissal
Kevin Holt (Queen of the South) is shown the red card.
Jason Thomson (Raith Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Kevin Holt (Queen of the South).
Substitution
Substitution, Queen of the South. Derek Lyle replaces Gavin Reilly.
Attempt missed. Christian Nade (Raith Rovers) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right following a corner.
Attempt saved. Christian Nade (Raith Rovers) header from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Corner, Raith Rovers. Conceded by Zander Clark.
Corner, Queen of the South. Conceded by Jason Thomson.
Attempt blocked. Gavin Reilly (Queen of the South) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Attempt saved. Grant Anderson (Raith Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Attempt saved. Christian Nade (Raith Rovers) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Corner, Raith Rovers. Conceded by Kevin Holt.