Match ends, St. Mirren 1, Raith Rovers 2.
St Mirren 1-2 Raith Rovers
By Keir Murray
BBC Scotland
- From the section Scottish Championship
Grant Anderson touched home Jon Daly's header for a Raith Rovers victory that leaves St Mirren searching for their first Championship home win this term.
The Buddies had been very sluggish for almost all of the first half and were lucky to be level at half-time after Lawrence Shankland had cancelled out James Craigen's 12th-minute opener.
Shankland and Calum Gallagher came close to scoring St Mirren's second.
However, Anderson got the merest touch to Daly's header to stun the Saints.
The Raith midfielder had ghosted through their static defence and claimed to have got the final touch on the six-yard line.
While that remains debateable, there was no doubt he did enough to distract St Mirren goalkeeper Jamie Langfield and help Rovers to their first away points of the season and third place in the table behind Rangers and Falkirk.
For almost all of the first half St Mirren looked as if they were still stunned by losing 3-2 to Falkirk last week despite holding a two-goal lead.
Their creative players seemed to be lacking in confidence and there were precious few attacks.
Craigen's opening goal for Rovers hardly came as a surprise. St Mirren failed to clear their lines and gave the Raith midfielder too much time and space to clip in a lovely goal from 18 yards.
And it could have been worse for St Mirren when twice Raith's captain Jason Thomson crossed for Daly who just could not connect properly, once with his head, once with his boot, both at the back post.
In a rare St Mirren attack, Keith Watson moved forward from defence to sweep in the perfect cross from the right for Shankland whose header was saved by Kevin Cuthbert.
And as the home team came to life, on the stroke of half-time the same duo combined, with Shankland slipping home a low shot from a narrow angle from his team-mate's clever pass.
Raith had lost their previous three Championship games away from home, all against the league's stronger sides - Falkirk, Hibs and Rangers.
And when St Mirren played the second half with renewed spirit it looked like the Fifers would have to wait longer for a win or even a point.
Shankland had two shots diverted from the target before a third effort was clawed away by Cuthbert.
Cameron Howieson's left-foot curling shot drifted past Cuthbert's far post and somehow Lewis Toshney managed to deny Gallagher at the back post as he tried to convert Watson's low cross.
However, Rovers hit with a classic sucker punch when Daly nodded Rory McKeown's throw-in past Langfield, via Anderson's toe, in the 87th minute.
Line-ups
St Mirren
- 12Langfield
- 20Watson
- 15Baird
- 4Webster
- 3Kelly
- 10Carswell
- 14Mallan
- 6GoodwinBooked at 83mins
- 11Howieson
- 22GallagherSubstituted forMorganat 82'minutes
- 25Shankland
Substitutes
- 1Ridgers
- 5Conlan
- 16Agnew
- 17Morgan
- 19Cuddihy
- 21McGrath
- 33Stewart
Raith Rovers
- 1Cuthbert
- 2ThomsonBooked at 73mins
- 6Benedictus
- 5Toshney
- 23McKeown
- 7Anderson
- 8McCordSubstituted forWightonat 81'minutes
- 14DavidsonSubstituted forMatthewsat 24'minutes
- 28Craigen
- 9Stewart
- 16Daly
Substitutes
- 3Petrie
- 11Megginson
- 12Matthews
- 17Laidlaw
- 18Wighton
- 24Ellis
- 25Ford
- Referee:
- Euan Anderson
- Attendance:
- 2,877
Match Stats
Home TeamSt MirrenAway TeamRaith Rovers
- Possession
- Home51%
- Away49%
- Shots
- Home13
- Away11
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away6
- Corners
- Home9
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home14
- Away13
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, St. Mirren 1, Raith Rovers 2.
Jason Thomson (Raith Rovers) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Cameron Howieson (St. Mirren).
Attempt saved. Stephen Mallan (St. Mirren) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Foul by Jon Daly (Raith Rovers).
Andy Webster (St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Goal!
Goal! St. Mirren 1, Raith Rovers 2. Grant Anderson (Raith Rovers) right footed shot from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Jon Daly.
Attempt missed. Stuart Carswell (St. Mirren) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
Attempt missed. Craig Wighton (Raith Rovers) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left following a set piece situation.
Booking
Jim Goodwin (St. Mirren) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Grant Anderson (Raith Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jim Goodwin (St. Mirren).
Substitution
Substitution, St. Mirren. Lewis Morgan replaces Calum Gallagher.
Substitution
Substitution, Raith Rovers. Craig Wighton replaces Ryan McCord.
Attempt missed. James Craigen (Raith Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high from a direct free kick.
Jon Daly (Raith Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Andy Webster (St. Mirren).
Foul by Kyle Benedictus (Raith Rovers).
Cameron Howieson (St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Jon Daly (Raith Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Andy Webster (St. Mirren).
Booking
Jason Thomson (Raith Rovers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Jason Thomson (Raith Rovers).
Sean Kelly (St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, St. Mirren. Conceded by James Craigen.
Attempt missed. Cameron Howieson (St. Mirren) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Attempt saved. James Craigen (Raith Rovers) left footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the right is saved in the centre of the goal.
Jason Thomson (Raith Rovers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Cameron Howieson (St. Mirren).
Attempt saved. Keith Watson (St. Mirren) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Attempt missed. Mark Stewart (Raith Rovers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses the top left corner.
Corner, Raith Rovers. Conceded by Sean Kelly.
Corner, St. Mirren. Conceded by Lewis Toshney.
Corner, St. Mirren. Conceded by Kyle Benedictus.
Corner, St. Mirren. Conceded by Jon Daly.
Attempt blocked. Andy Webster (St. Mirren) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Corner, St. Mirren. Conceded by Kevin Cuthbert.
Attempt saved. Lawrence Shankland (St. Mirren) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Corner, St. Mirren. Conceded by Kyle Benedictus.