Montrose 1-3 Raith Rovers: Gullan, Vaughan and Easton net in away pre-season friendly victory

Rovers – who had won 4-1 at Lowland League Linlithgow Rose on Saturday – listed the aforementioned Dabrowski as a trialist for the match at Links Park as his Hibs contract doesn’t end until Friday.

Lewis Vaughan’s early shot for the visitors was blocked before Graham Webster’s acrobatic effort for Montrose went just over the bar.

Jamie Gullan then extended keeper Cammy Gill with a shot which Gill turned around the post for a corner, before Dabrowski kept out Craig Batchelor’s attempt at the other end.

It was the visitors who went ahead in wonderful style after 24 minutes when Gullan curled a fantastic free-kick into the top left corner.

Debutant Watson then had a goal attempt which was deflected wide, before three minutes later it was 2-0 for Ian Murray’s men when Vaughan netted with a tap in after a goalmouth scramble following a corner.

After Gill saved a low Vaughan shot and Dylan Easton shot wide, it was the latter who put Raith three goals ahead on 44 minutes when he smashed the ball in off the post after dancing into the box.

Leading 3-0 at the interval, Raith's position became less comfortable five minutes into the second half when half-time substitute Rory McAllister smashed the ball home from the edge of the area after linking up with Kane Hester.

The away side hit back with a flowing move which culminated in Callum Smith’s shot being saved by Matthews, before a vicious Vaughan attempt was blocked by a defender.

McAllister then had another effort saved on 57 minutes after driving in from the left, but Raith remained an attacking threat and Gullan drove an effort over the bar from 18 yards eight minutes later.

Substitute goalie Robbie Thomson saved Raith by keeping out McAllister’s free-kick on 79 minutes, before Smith’s powerful shot at the other end three minutes later was blocked by Aidan Quinn.

In a typical pre-season game featuring a raft of substitutions from both sides, the final action of this contest on 87 minutes saw Raith sub Sam Stanton heading against the post from a Ross Millen cross.

Montrose: Gill, Williamson, Steeves, Quinn, Waddell, Dillon, Masson, Webster, Brown, Gardyne, Batchelor.

Subs: Matthews, Watson, Shrive, Lyons, Hester, McAllister, Giacomini, Grant, Brown.

Raith: Trialist C, Dick, Millen, Watson, Matthews, Gullan, Vaughan, Smith, Mullin, Corr, Easton.

Subs: Thomson, McNeil, Trialist A, Stanton, McGill, Arnott, Trialist B, Masson.

Raith’s third of four pre-season friendlies will take place away to Kelty Hearts this Saturday, kick-off 2pm. They then face East Fife away on Saturday, July 8, kick-off 2pm.

It’s then that the serious stuff begins, with four Viaplay Cup group fixtures being followed by the start of the Scottish Championship.