Raith Rovers: Manager Ian Murray reveals his team would be second just now if they'd held recent leads

Had leads against Arbroath (Raith were 1-0 ahead and drew 1-1), Greenock Morton (Murray's men were two goals up but eventually held 2-2), Dundee (a 1-0 Raith advantage was pegged back to 1-1) and Cove Rangers (Rovers’ 1-0 and 2-1 positions were squandered in a 2-2 draw) been held, Rovers would be sitting on 37 points instead of 29 and only have leaders Queen’s Park above them and by just a single point.

Murray told the Fife Free Press: “I think we deserved to win all of those games except the Dundee one, and if we had we would be sitting second top of the league.

“It's just small margins in football that can propel you up the way or down the way.

“I know the scoreline is important and that’s the first thing you see, but our actual play in the games has been really, really good.

“We must cut out those small, silly mistakes that are costing us points.

“We’re showing that we’re a hard team to beat, and if we can just tighten up a wee bit at the back – in the main, teams haven’t really cut through us this season and it’s more setplays – then we'll be fine.”

Rovers’ defensive frailties came to a head in that last league game at Cove on Saturday, January 14, when they conceded an injury-time equaliser, having looked comfortable until then.