Dougie Imrie reveals injured Raith Rovers trio who will miss tomorrow's Pars derby

With Raith seventh in the table on 30 points from 27 matches they are sixth points behind the fourth-placed Pars who occupy the final Premiership play-off spot, but also just four points clear of bottom club Airdrieonians in a heavily congested league table.

And, speaking to the Fife Free Press today, Rovers gaffer Dougie Imrie revealed that training has been continuing positively in the fortnight since their last match, a 2-0 league defeat at Ross County on February 28.

Imrie said: “The training just goes on as normal. We had a bounce game against Hibs last Friday, which was good exercise, so we kept them active. But now we look forward to the game tomorrow.

"I think any derby's a tough game. But again, I think form goes out the window in these games.

"But you've got to take your hat off to Dunfermline, they had a terrific result against Aberdeen (in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals last weekend), a very convincing 3-0 victory as well.

"We know what to expect as Dunfermline beat Hibs 1-0 at home in the previous round as well.

"They've had a good Scottish Cup run, but it's league business and we've got to be picking up three points. But we have to give them the respect, they're doing very well at the moment, three unbeaten, scoring goals, so we know the difficulty of the game tomorrow.

"There's no point in our players feeling sorry for themselves. The boys are good players, but they need to believe they're good players. The run that we've been on hasn’t been the best.”

Raith are about to enter a crucial run of fixtures with the Dunfermline derby followed by home league games against Airdrieonians (March 21), Partick Thistle (March 24) and Ayr United (March 27), before the KDM Evolution Trophy final against Inverness Caledonian Thistle at Firhill on April 5.

Imrie said: “If you can't handle big games, expectations, then you're maybe in the wrong game. But no, you just have to take a game at a time.

"The games are coming around pretty quick. We've got the derby tomorrow, then we've got three exciting games on the bounce at home. And then we go into the cup final at Farhill. So it's a very exciting couple of weeks coming up for sure.

"Every game is difficult in this league. You'll be asking the same questions to every other team.

"From Airdrie to Dunfermline, it's so tight. Every club is in the same situation.

"Take out St Johnstone, Partick and probably Abroath, the three most consistent teams in my opinion this season. That's why they're at the top of the table and holding the first three positions.

"The rest of us have been up and down, lost form, gained form, but haven't been as consistent as the other three. But it's a very competitive league.

"Every team is capable of beating everyone. I think you can see that with the results over the last few weeks. It's a very cutthroat division, and if you're not at it every week, then unfortunately you're not going to win games.

"So we have to get back to that. We have to be ruthless.

"We need to be up for the fight because that's what it's got to be for the last nine games of the season. And then we'll take it from there.”