Nostalgia: Rovers rise to see off German giants

The sides had previously met only 14 months earlier when the German giants knocked Rovers out of the UEFA Cup. This time the Kirkcaldy men would get some revenge.

A healthy crowd of almost five thousand turned out for the special occasion to mark the redevelopment of the Pratt Street ground, including a hardy bunch of around 100 Bayern fans who kept the home support entertained with their bizarre antics, which at point involved stripping off their shirts and dancing about topless in the freezing January night.

There was a sense of disappointment that star man Jurgen Klinsmann failed to make an appearance on the pitch but there were still a number of familiar names in the visiting line-up, including goalkeeper Oliver Kahn, Thomas Helmer and former German captain Lothar Matthaus, and as Rovers manager Iain Munro later pointed out, all of the players on show had to be pretty special to be in the current Bundesliga leaders squad in the first place.

Despite his best efforts, Munro was unable to fix up any special guests for his own side - a hernia problem prevented Jimmy Nicholl making what would have been an emotional return - but former manager Frank Connor, the man credited with laying the foundations for the rejuvenation of Raith, took his place in the dug-out and, to the amusement of the crowd, was soon on his feet bellowing instructions to the players as if he had never been away.

There was certainly nothing friendly about some of the tackles that were flying in and any doubts about the game not being treated seriously were soon dispelled as both sides looked keen to make a good impression.

Rovers Danish duo of Carsten Hallum and Soren Andersen probably never expected to be lining up against a crack European side like Bayern when they arrived in Kirkcaldy but they again proved their ability by giving the visiting defence a torrid time in the first half before both were replaced at the interval with the following week’s Scottish Cup trip to Airdrie very much in mind.

But for giant goalkeeper Oliver Kahn, Rovers could have had a healthy lead at the break. First he tipped over a Tony Rougier header after ten minutes and then, after the Trinidadian had done well to get a cross in, Kahn held on to a close-in drive from Hallum.

Skipper Danny Lennon passed up the chance to bring back memories of his famous UEFA Cup goal in the Olympic Stadium when Rovers were awarded a penalty five minutes from half time after Kevin Twaddle was tripped in the box by Helmer.

Lennon hit the ball low to the keeper’s right but Kahn got across to block well and the danger was cleared.

Rovers restarted with Derek McGill and Peter Duffield on for the Danes and the former almost scored a memorable goal when he got his head to a Twaddle cross only to see Kahn again produce a magnificent save to turn the ball over.

After 56 minutes came the goal the crowd were hoping for and it was all down to some trickery on the wing by the enigmatic Rougier.

Showing great control he had the audacity to nutmeg Matthaus and cut the ball across the goal where Peter Duffield was well placed to knock it into the net.

Bayern were stung into action by this shock and they began to press forward more, although giant strikers Carsten Jancker and Alexander Zickler were well marshalled throughout by Andy Millen and David Craig.

Keeper Scott Thomson had little to do apart from a couple of neat blocks from shots by substitutes Scholl and Rizzitelli and the Rovers fans greeted the final whistle with a huge cheer as they celebrated a famous win and an enjoyable evening’s entertainment.