Raith Rovers: Long serving striker Lewis Vaughan reckons 3-2 comeback win at Queen's Park last Saturday may be craziest Raith game he's been involved in

Lewis Vaughan (centre) celebrates his goal with team-mates Josh Mullin and Liam Dick (Pic Eddie Doig)Lewis Vaughan (centre) celebrates his goal with team-mates Josh Mullin and Liam Dick (Pic Eddie Doig)
Lewis Vaughan (centre) celebrates his goal with team-mates Josh Mullin and Liam Dick (Pic Eddie Doig)
Having been at Raith Rovers since first signing as a youth way back in 2008, long-serving striker Lewis Vaughan has seen an immeasurable number of ups and downs.

But Vaughan, 27, told the Fife Free Press that last Saturday's 3-2 comeback win against Queen's Park at Hampden – when he scored the opener before Raith had Euan Murray sent off, went 2-1 down but then stole victory thanks to Jack Hamilton’s headed goal and Ross Millen’s outrageous injury time ‘Panenka’ penalty – might just be the craziest game he’s been involved in.

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“Regarding exciting games and unpredictability during my time with Raith, that game has got to be right up there,” Vaughan, 27, told the Fife Free Press. “It was unbelievable.

"Especially how the game ended. I’ve never seen anything like it. Down to 10 men and a goal down with a couple of minutes to play.

"For the winning penalty, Ross had scored a few times for Queen’s Park at Hampden previously so he wanted to take it.

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"I was delighted he scored. It shows you the confidence he had to score the way he did.

"The celebrations after that were mental. We had a decent support there, the fans travelled in their numbers again and backed us the whole way.

"As a fan and a player that’s the kind of games you want to be involved in. It’s one that the fans will remember for a long time I’m sure.

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"People might say we over celebrated a bit but when you score two late goals when you’re down to 10 men what do you expect?”

"You get caught up in the moment sometimes and you just need to enjoy the good times when they come."

Commenting on his own 39th-minute strike which put Raith 1-0 up, Vaughan said: “Aidan Connolly passed the ball to me down the right hand side, I managed to take a touch, I knew the defender was going to try and close the angle so I managed to put it through his legs and put it in the bottom corner.

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"I’m just delighted to be scoring again. I’ve scored a few goals this season (seven in 19 matches) so hopefully that continues as I just want to play football and score.”

On the Raith red card, Vaughan added: "Muzza’s sending off is probably one of those ones where he’s got caught up in the moment. He was trying to win the ball.

"I don’t think it was malicious. He lunged in for the ball and maybe timed it a bit wrong.

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"That’s football, we just need to get on with it. I’m sure Muzza will take his suspension on the chin and he’ll be back stronger when he is able to play again.”

Some Raith players looked utterly exhausted after the weekend win, with Vaughan explaining: “Hampden’s probably a bigger pitch than what we’re used to playing on and the boys put a lot of effort into that game, especially being down to 10 men.

"They were obviously having to cover a lot more ground, so it just shows you the fitness levels that the squad has to keep going until the last minute.

"We show a never-say-die attitude. We’ve scored so many late winners this season and that’s another one to add to the collection.”

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