Raith Rovers set for opening friendly at Linlithgow Rose

Manager Ian Murray has told the Fife Free Press which of Raith’s summer signings will take on Gordon Herd’s newly-promoted side, playing in the Scottish Lowland Football League this season after finishing top of the East of Scotland Football League premier division last term.

“We’ll be ready,” Murray said. “We’re a wee bit light in numbers at the moment just in terms of it being pre-season.

“We probably won’t see Jack Hamilton because we’re waiting on international clearance and that’s going to take us a little bit of time, so that’s disappointing for the fans but they will see him soon.

“Callum Smith is back in training. We gave him a little bit of time off, so that’s great as he’ll be involved. Josh Mullin as well will be involved.

“Big Kevin (former Hibernian goalkeeper Kevin Dabrowski) is not with us at the moment. He’ll be back in next week.

“We’ve also given him a bit more time off as he was training right until the end of the premier league season.”

Raith’s last visit to Prestonfield saw them prevail 2-0 in a Scottish Cup fourth-round tie on January 24, with forward Jamie Gullan scoring a double.

Murray is pleased to have retained Gullan and fellow striking stalwarts Lewis Vaughan and Aidan Connolly, currently injured, in an attack which has now been beefed up by the arrival of Smith, Hamilton and Mullin, who will bid to get Rovers challenging for promotion from the championship this term.

The boss added: “I’m happy with the strikeforce. In the wider areas, we have loads of competition with guys like Vaughany and Hammer (Gullan), who play as strikers, Callum Smith, Jack Hamilton, so we’re really well off in this area.

“We’ll obviously leave a space or two in case something comes up in the loan market or internal market.”

Raith have another friendly at League One Montrose on Tuesday, with kick-off at 7.45pm.