Raith Rovers boss Ian Murray hails his team's mentality after last-gasp Arbroath victory

ARBROATH, SCOTLAND - DECEMBER 13: Raith's Lewis Vaughan (C) celebrates at full-time with teammate Liam Dick (R) during a cinch Championship match between Arbroath and Raith Rovers at Gayfield Park, on December 13, 2023, in Arbroath, Scotland. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)

Aidan Connolly’s excellent opener was quickly cancelled out by Jermiane Hylton’s penalty for the hosts in an eventful first-half, but a poorer second period had it looking like the Kirkcaldy club were going to have to settle for a point, until super sub Lewis Vaughan managed to covert on the angle in the final seconds of the match.

That last-gasp winner was just the latest in Rovers sensational run of picking up points late on in matches, and it extended the side’s winning run to six matches in all competitions.

"That was probably the latest one yet,” Stark’s Park manager Murray said. “It is a very difficult venue, any time you come up here, especially on a Wednesday night after spending a lot of energy on Friday, coming up here - a new manager as well, fighting for their lives a little bit - we knew it was going to be tough.

ARBROATH, SCOTLAND - DECEMBER 13: Raith's Lewis Vaughan (L) celebrates scoring to make it 2-1 with teammate Shaun Byrne (R) during a cinch Championship match between Arbroath and Raith Rovers at Gayfield Park, on December 13, 2023, in Arbroath, Scotland. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)

"We are delighted to win, I thought overall we deserved to win it. Arbroath had one shot on target which was the penalty kick.

"I thought (Lewis) Vaughan’s one at the end that hit the post, albeit offside, would sum up our evening. The ball wasn’t falling for us in the box. They keep going, they so brave in terms of their attitude. They never think they are beaten.

"You've got to enjoy these moments. I know we're managing a few of them but you don't often get moments like that. We're no celebrating over the top because we're top of the league, we're just delighted to win the game.

"If you asked ourselves and Dundee United, with our league records, we'd both expect to be clear in front of the chasing pack any other year.

ARBROATH, SCOTLAND - DECEMBER 13: Raith Manager Ian Murray celebrates at full-time during a cinch Championship match between Arbroath and Raith Rovers at Gayfield Park, on December 13, 2023, in Arbroath, Scotland. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)

"We're pushing each other all the way. It reminds me a little bit of when we were at Airdrie and our title challenge with Cove Rangers, we just pushed each other all the league.

"We’ve had a tough away schedule recently and we’ve managed to win them all.”

Jamie Gullan came into the starting line-up shortly before kick-off after Jack Hamilton, who was set to lead the line, pulled out due to feeling unwell, and Murray said it was pleasing to be able to make such a switch without ‘losing any quality on the pitch’, thanks to depth in his squad.

He added: "Jack (Hamilton) wasn't feeling very well, he went out on the pitch to warm up and he wasn't feeling very good so we had to withdraw him.

"Jamie Gullan was ready to go. He's been very unlucky not to play much, he's done really well."