Josh Mullin nets at double on debut for Raith Rovers at Linlithgow Rose

The 30-year-old winger, signed from fellow Scottish Championship side Ayr United at the end of May, put the Fifers 1-0 up with three minutes on the clock, putting a first-time shot past home goalkeeper Cammy Binnie into the top left corner of the net at the West Lothian club’s Prestonfield Stadium, and added another just over half an hour later, into the top right corner that time round.

The Kirkcaldy club’s other goals were scored by Dylan Easton following a solo run on 20 minutes and Jamie Gullan on 74 minutes, netting from the rebound after having a penaltry saved by Binnie.

Sandy Cunningham got one back for their Scottish Lowland Football League hosts on 25 minutes, heading past visiting goalkeeper Andrew McNeil from a corner to sound a warning to manager Ian Murray that Raith’s set-piece woes of last season might well still require addressing.

Brody Paterson started as a trialist on the left-hand side of Rovers’ 4-1-3-2 formation and Jake Nicholson, a 17-year-old called up from Rovers’ community club, was brought on as a trialist with 13 minutes left to go, the Fifers’ first player ever to follow that route into their first team.

Midfielder Ross Matthews made his first appearance for Rovers for seven months as a second-half substitute and striker Gullan got his first start since being sidelined by a hamstring injury in March and Murray was gald to see both back in action.

“Getting Ross Matthews back on the pitch was pleasing,” the 42-year-old told RaithTV afterwards.

“It’s been a long absence for Ross and when he came on at half-time he was excellent.

“He’s a very good football player and he can see a pass as well. He’ll be like a new player for myself and the squad to have because though he made a few cameo appearances last season, they were nowhere near the level he can get to.

“It’s brilliant to have a player of his calibre back, not just for his football ability but also for his leadership in the dressing room and off the pitch.

“I’m delighted for him to be back first and foremost and I’m delighted for the team.”

Murray was also pleased by how his team coped with the heat on Saturday, saying: “It was a really hard game. They were difficult conditions as the pitch was really sticky and with the heat as well.

“It was difficult enough watching the game, never mind playing in it, but the boys handled those aspects very well.

“We scored some good goals and pressed the ball excellently. We’d worked a wee bit on that in the last few days and we tried to use that in the game.

“It was important to get a game as early as we could. It was also important that we got a game on grass as quick as we could.

“It was a positive day for us. We know it’s a pre-season game and it was our first one and there’s loads to build on, but you can only deal with what you’ve got in hand and we did well.

“It didn’t feel like a pre-season game at time. The tackles were flying in and both teams were pressing the ball and trying to score goals and win the game.

“Linlithgow are a team used to winning games of football and they’ve shown that over the years.

“We got out of the game what we wanted.

“Our pressing of the ball I thought was excellent.”

Next up for Raith is another friendly at Montrose on Tuesday, with kick-off at 7.45pm.