Raith Rovers 2-5 Queen's Park: Queen’s lord it as Rovers suffer after leading early

Rovers are now seventh in the table with 22 points from 16 games – seven points adrift of leaders Ayr United – on a day in which Aidan Connolly’s fine double ultimately counted for nothing as Queen’s won it with goals by Simon Murray (2), Dom Thomas (2) and Jack Thomson.

Yet the Kirkcaldy outfit had started the better side on their home patch and took a spectacular 18th-minute lead when Connolly curled a wonderful 20-yard effort into the left corner past the despairing dive of Queen’s goalkeeper Calum Ferrie.

And Ferrie was then called into action to tip Ethan Ross’s shot over the bar following a Sam Stanton pass.

At that stage, the 1861 fans inside Stark’s Park had no idea about the remarkable twist in events which was about to unfold as Owen Coyle’s visitors scored five goals without reply between the 36th and 77th minutes as Rovers showed defensive deficiencies.

Murray’s brilliant 25-yard free-kick past home keeper Jamie MacDonald levelled matters, before the small band of fans in the away stand had more to cheer on 44 minutes when a slick passing move within which Murray was prominent was finished off in style over MacDonald via Thomas’s left foot from 20 yards.

Rovers came out the traps swiftly in the second half and had a raid on Queen’s goal foiled by a comfortable Ferrie save before the Glasgow side broke to the other end to go 3-1 up on 48 minutes when an unmarked Murray tapped into an empty net from close range after a cross to the back post.

Lewis Vaughan shot just over from the edge of the box as Raith mounted a reply, before Ross’s powerful long ranger was held by Ferrie.

Substitute Jamie Gullan – on for Ross after 54 minutes – then flashed the ball across goal and it just missed the far post after a Vaughan set-up.

Another goal for the visitors almost arrived when another Raith attack broke down and Murray surged forward from his own half but blasted high and wide.

But the killer fourth strike for the visitors did come on 72 minutes when Thomas intercepted a slack pass in midfield, played a one-two with Murray and fired low past MacDonald with his right foot.

Ross Millen sent an effort just wide from distance for Raith with his left foot before there was a large piece of fortune for Coyle’s men when Thomas received a long ball, cut in from the right and scored via a wicked deflection off Liam Dick to make it 5-1.

Rovers pulled one back with eight minutes remaining when Connolly evaded Ferrie and two defenders before lashing the ball high into the net with his left peg.

Sam Stanton shot over and Connolly had an effort cleared from near the goal line as Rovers continued to press, before a spot of 'ping pong’ saw Gullan have two efforts blocked.

But that was the end of the scoring as Raith were left to lick their wounds ahead of hosting Ayrshire junior giants Auchinleck Talbot in a Scottish Cup third round tie this Saturday which kicks off at 3pm.