Raith Rovers aiming to keep the consistency going

Since the derby defeat at East Fife on August 31, the Kirkcaldy side has won three consecutive matches without conceding a goal while returning to the top of League One.

Manager John McGlynn was pleased with the way his team ground out a 1-0 win at Airdrie on Saturday – a positive step as the team looks to improve its overall away form.

Another big test awaits at Forfar Athletic on Saturday, a venue where Rovers have not won in 12 years, having lost both league games at Station Park last season.

To maintain a title push, McGlynn knows his team need to be consistent on the road.

“Away from home, we need to put on performances like we did on Saturday where the work-rate and attitude was fantastic,” McGlynn said.

“We were strong mentally, which over the past year has maybe been a little bit of a criticism.

“We will always endeavour to play good football, and we did at times, but we have to work as hard as we did against Airdrie in every away game to get the points.

“The sooner we start to believe that, and start to churn out the victories away from home on a more regular basis, then the better it will be for every one of us.”

McGlynn coaches his team to play a passing, possession-based style but he admits it is more difficult away from home due to the quality of opposition pitches in League One.

Speaking of the surface at Airdrie, McGlynn said: “The pitch there is getting worse every time we go.

“It’s now almost getting to the Stenhousemuir state and it’s very difficult to play football on that surface.

“I don’t think Barcelona could play good football on that pitch.

“Anyone can see it. If you’re looking at our pitch, you will see strands of astroturf. When you look at Airdrie’s pitch, it’s flat. It’s virtually a table.

“Forfar’s is maybe not exactly the same, but there’s not a great deal of difference, so we’ll need to adapt.

“We’ll always find it slightly more difficult away from home because the pitches are rubbish.”

Rovers head to Angus with a number of injury doubts including goalkeeper Ross Munro, who was substituted in the first half on Saturday with a shoulder injury, although it is not as bad as initially feared.

Lewis Vaughan is also “touch and go” as he recovers from the hamstring strain that kept him out of the win over Airdrie.

Joao Victoria, meanwhile, has meanwhile suffered a recurrence of his knee injury following his sub appearance at the weekend and is likely to miss the trip to Forfar along with Tony Dingwall, whose comeback from an ankle injury has been set back a few weeks.

Ross Matthews and Robbie Thomson also remain sidelined leaving McGlynn frustrated at being unable to call upon his full squad.

“We’re just not quite getting out the woods,” he said.

“I just can’t wait to have all the players available in training, never mind a game, because we’ve never had that situation. Our training is great, but once we get everyone back in, it’s going to be top drawer.

“I’d just like to get everyone on that training pitch and working with them as a whole group but we just can’t get out the bit.”

Meanwhile, a date of October 29 has been set for a preliminary hearing for the tribunal relating to Raith’s claim for compensation following Kevin Nisbet’s summer move to Dunfermline Athletic.