Raith Rovers 1-2 Ross County: Analysis
Twelve months ago, Ross County travelled home from the first leg against Championship opposition in a state of shellshock. This time round, they leave with mixed emotions.
Don Cowie’s side will be happy to have escaped with their lead after some scares, but they’ll know they could well have been out of sight.
Their physicality was off the charts as they showed up with a swagger and confidence incongruous with a side that has spent the campaign battling at the bottom end of the table.
Once again, it was County’s defensive issues that let them down. Their last clean sheet came on 5 December in a 3-0 win over Motherwell – a long time to go without a shutout.
Rovers sensed those fragilities at the back and kept chipping away despite a lacklustre performance from Ian Murray’s men.
The manager was effusive with praise for the squad he has built in a rapid turnaround of the club’s fortunes.
Fresh legs provided added quality and impetus just when Rovers the hosts threatened to flag. Their staying power paid dividends again.
How fitting it would be if it was one final comeback that earned the side that have been stunning teams all season a place in the Premiership.
