Dunfermline Athletic 0-1 Raith Rovers: Stark's Park boss Ian Murray praises his side's battling qualities after Sam Stanton headed goal wins Fife derby

Sam Stanton's header after 36 minutes won the day for Raith – who coped admirably with everything Dunfermline threw at them in the second half – to move Rovers into third place in the early standings with seven points from three games.

“It was a battling performance to say the least,” Murray told RaithTV. “I felt we showed an enormous amount of character today in a really, really hard fought contest, as you would expect coming here in a local derby.

"But in terms of our commitment, attitude towards defending our goal and our box, I’ve not seen that in a team for a long, long time.

"So they deserve all the praise they’re going to get.

"Dunfermline are very well drilled in what they do, both offensively and defensively.

"Going forward they get the ball in wide areas and have two players in those areas of the park who deliver really dangerous balls.

"That was the biggest danger for us today, we knew that before the game. But I felt Keith and Euan defended that box brilliantly along with the two fullbacks.

"The midfielders had to get a bit tighter to the centre halves for the second balls and stuff like that.

"In saying that they never really cut us open. The one time they did they were offside and it was a tremendous save from Kevin (Dabrowski).

"Overall we didn’t create too much either. We have to recognise that but in terms of our character and defensive display today, very good.”

On Stanton’s winner which delivered Raith three points after they successfully snuffed out Rhys Breen and Ewan Otoo threatening a second half leveller, Murray added: “We kind of got a goal out of nothing. Callum Smith does brilliantly chasing the ball down and puts it into Sam who puts it in the front post area.

"It was great to get that goal because it kind of gave us something to hang onto which we needed as we saw at the end.

"But as an away team coming here in the first league derby of the season against a team that were on a 26-game unbeaten league run as well, good crowd and good atmosphere, that was a proper derby performance away from home.”

On Raith’s large travelling support, the boss said: “Brilliant. Without fans the game’s not very much.

"The atmosphere was brilliant. We’ve asked a lot of these supporters over the close season to dig into their pockets and help us over the line.

"And there’s no doubt, they’re helping us over the line.

"We saw it at Easter Road last week with the huge numbers we took, we saw it again today, we’ve seen it all season.

"We can’t thank them enough and we just keep hoping and trying to give them something to cheer about. Today we have again and we’ll try and do it next week.”

Raith host leaders Queen’s Park in the league this Saturday with kick-off at 3pm.