First win for Barry Robson as Raith Rovers beat Bairns to seal Scottish Cup last-16 spot
Raith Rovers boss Barry Robson hailed his players for carrying out a “taxing” gameplan down to a tee as his side secured a Scottish Cup fourth-round win over Falkirk on Sunday.
The Stark’s Park outfit headed into the tie 19 points behind the Bairns in the William Hill Championship table – but they were well-worthy of their 2-1 win after extra-time to earn the ex-Aberdeen manager a first win at the helm after a 3-0 defeat at Ayr United earlier this month.
Raith took the game to Falkirk from the off, and it took John McGlynn’s side by total surprise.
The visitors dominated the first half, and although they tailed off ever so slightly in the second half, it would have been a travesty if they lost out to an error when Callumn Morrison slotted home on 79 minutes.
He had the simple task of scoring into an empty net when substitute Sam Stanton’s shocking backpass was intercepted by Ross MacIver.
But midfielder Stanton showed his mettle with four minutes remaining when he emphatically blasted home in the box after a well-worked corner routine to level the tie.
And Raith grabbed a winner in the first half of extra-time when Josh Mullin won a penalty kick – which was duly converted by Dylan Easton on 109 minutes to seal a last-16 spot.
"I think our game plan worked really well for us,” Robson said. “It was really taxing on us, and the running power you need to have the way we want to play is a big step up.
"We probably tired a little bit in the second half but the first half was a really good performance and we probably should have come in a couple of goals up.
"Then when you're in a place like this, against a really good side, there's going to be times in the game where they're going to have spells.
"They had a good spell for maybe 20 minutes in the second half, but then we came back into it again.
“Falkirk are a team that's been on the go for three years. They've built a real good way of playing.
"There's not a lot of teams that come here and win. We've done it today.”
Robson then singled out Stanton for his attitude after he redeemed himself for an error that could have sent his side crashing out.
On his goal and performance following on from Falkirk’s opener, he said: “I'm really pleased for him (Sam Stanton).
"That's showing a great mentality. We all make mistakes, I've made more than most, so I understand that, but we're just glad that he went and scored up the other end.”
The boss meanwhile bemoaned Raith’s lack of striking options after Jack Hamilton was the latest forward to find himself on the treatment table leading up to the Falkirk tie.
He reckons that the biggest task facing him is “player availability” with five strikers out of action.
“We were playing with kids up at the top end of the pitch,” Robson said. "We had five strikers out at the end. They're all injured.
"We lost Jack Hamilton yesterday (Saturday), Calum Smith's not here either and Lewis Vaughan is longer-term.
“Then we have had to take Finlay (Pollock) off today while another one (Aiden Marsh) has went off with cramp.”