Raith Rovers hoping to defy form-book against Dundee this weekend

Lewis Vaughan celebrating scoring for Raith Rovers at Dundee's dens Park in May 2021 (Picture: Michael Gillen)

The Fifers have won only two of their last ten matches against the Dee, losing six and drawing twice.

Their last game, a play-off second leg in May 2021, was one of those two victories, a 21st-minute Lewis Vaughan goal winning it for then manager John McGlynn’s side at Dens Park, but it counted for nothing as Dundee had won the preceding leg three days earlier 3-0 at Stark’s Park in Kirkcaldy, with Jordan McGhee getting on the scoresheet twice and Osman Sow adding another.

Raith’s only other win in those ten games was earlier that same season, at the end of last January, at home in the Scottish Championship. Sow opened the scoring five minutes in but Kyle Benedictus, Reghan Tumility and Kai Kennedy hit back to earn a 3-1 victory and all three points.

Their other games that season were a 2-1 home win for Dundee in April 2021 and a 1-1 draw also at Dens Park in October 2020. Jason Cummings and Liam Fontaine scored for the hosts in April, with Benedictus netting a consolation effort two minutes from the final whistle, and Charlie Adam scored for the Dee and Frankie Musonda for Raith the preceding October.

Their three games prior to that were league cup ties, Dundee winning 3-0 in July 2019, 2-1 in July 2017, both at Stark’s Park, and 4-0 at home in August 2014.

Their last two matches of the 2013/14 championship season were a 0-0 draw at Dundee in March 2014 and a 2-0 home defeat for Raith in January of that year.

Dundee, managed by Gary Bowyer, are the bookies’ favourites to come up trumps on Saturday, McBookie.com offering odds of 5/4. Raith are 19/10 to win and a draw is 9/4.

“We know it’s a tough league and it’s a tough business, but we’ll be looking to be better this weekend, and that’s another really, really tough game,” Murray told us this week.

“Dundee are a good side and one game doesn’t define your season, certainly not, and they’ll be looking, like ourselves, to bounce back and get a win.”

Saturday’s game kicks off at 3pm.