Raith keen to keep Vaughan beyond transfer window

Vaughan netted for the sixth game running in the 3-0 win over Brora Rangers on Tuesday night and has struck eight times in seven appearances so far this campaign.

The talented 21-year-old is rumoured to be on the radar of clubs in higher divisions and Raith’s resolve could be tested should an offer be forthcoming before the end of the transfer window.

One striker has already made the move from League One to the Championship this week with Airdrie marksman Andy Ryan, the division’s top scorer last term, moving to Dunfermline for an undisclosed fee.

However, first team coach Kevin Cuthbert, who deputised media duties for manager Barry Smith this week, told the Press he was unaware of any offers for Vaughan.

“We want to keep our best players,” he said.

“For us to get to where we want to be at the end of the season we’ll need players like Lewis Vaughan.

“Losing Lewis wouldn’t be ideal at this time of year, but if he keeps scoring, and doing as well as what he has, anything can happen.

“The most important thing for us is whether we can maybe add another player to give us a different option.”

Cuthbert was speaking after the 3-0 home win over Brora in the Irn-Bru Cup on Tuesday night - a match that left him with mixed feelings.

“I don’t think we were at our best and we caused our own problems at times, but we’ve scored some great goals, and we won the game 3-0 so we move on,” he said.

“We take it as a lesson on how we don’t want the game to evolve, but we also look at it as having scored three goals and kept a clean sheet.

“That’s two clean sheets and two 3-0s, so we feel like momentum is with us right now and that we’re going to score goals every time we’re on the field.

“We were patient in both games, and being patient is something that’s going to be a staple of the season.

“There will be teams that sit in, and that we don’t play well against, but if that happens and we come out with a victory like we did in the last two games, then we can all agree that’s good.”

Rovers welcome Forfar Athletic to Stark’s Park on Saturday and although there was two divisions between the teams last season, Cuthbert expects another hard game.

“Forfar got promoted and they will be tough and well organised,” he said.

“They won their first game, beating Airdrie 2-1, so we know Gary Bollan will have them difficult to beat and they’ve got decent players going forward.

“It might be another one that requires patience, and for us to push at the door until it happens.

“If we can win it, we’ll be delighted with the start to the season we’ve made.”

Raith goalkeeper Aaron Lennox is hoping to be fit for Saturday after picking up an injury in a man of the match performance against Brora.

“Aaron has started the season in good form,” said Cuthbert, who remains sidelined by injury himself.