Raith Rovers: Goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald reveals pre-match preparation which helped him memorably save a penalty against Ayr United on his 500th club appearance

MacDonald, 36, dived low to his left to keep out Ben Dempsey’s effort, a wonderful way to mark the veteran Rovers keeper’s 500th club appearance.

Ex-Hearts stopper MacDonald told the Fife Free Press: "The way the game is now with video analysis, Robbie Thomson (Raith goalkeeping coach) and our performance and opposition analysis guy Andy Tannahill go through all the clips of penalties in the run up to games.

"So we always have a rough idea of where players might go. On Friday night the plan was that if it was Dempsey we were going to go left, I did and thankfully I managed to get a save out of it.

"Obviously it’s great any time you save a penalty and keep a clean sheet, that’s what you try to do most weeks, although you’ll maybe not always save penalties.

"The fact it was on my 500th career appearance was a nice way for the night to work out, I was happy enough with that. The only thing missing for me was the three points which unfortunately we just couldn’t quite get.”

Although last Friday night’s game was goalless, it certainly wasn’t without talking points as Raith had earlier been denied a 15th-minute penalty appeal for an apparent handball by Ayr’s Nick McAllister, while the visitors’ subsequent spot kick award for Brad Spencer’s challenge on Mark McKenzie looked contentious.

MacDonald said: “Our penalty appeal probably would have been harsh as there’s no intent in it. But it is one that in the modern day rules should have been given.

"For the penalty that Ayr got, there’s not much in it. It’s one of those ones that the boy comes on the blind side of Brad, who’s obviously trying to get something on the ball and he maybe clips the boy slightly in his midriff.

"Again it was probably not enough for him to go down and they get a penalty. I don’t think you can fault the ref for giving it, as you could see from Brad’s reaction as well.

"It was of the soft variety but in the modern day you need to be very careful what you do in the box.

"It was unfortunate but thankfully it didn’t go in.”