Raith confident despite injury concerns ahead of trip to title rivals Ayr

Scott Robertson is likely to deputise for Raith in defence at Somerset Park tonight.

Rovers head into one of their biggest games of the season tied on at the top of League One with title rivals Ayr United, but behind on goal difference, albeit by virtue of just one goal, while the Kirkcaldy side also have a game in hand.

With centre-halves Iain Davidson and Kyle Benedictus set to miss out through injury, Raith boss Barry Smith is again likely to rely on the experience of Robertson at the back after fielding him in defence in the recent derby victory over East Fife.

Either way, Robertson insists Raith will approach the game with confidence.

"It doesn't matter who's called upon we believe in each other," he said.

"Whoever puts the strip on, we believe we're more than capable of going down there and getting the right result.

"It's going to be a tough task gong down to Somerset but it's one we're relishing."

Raith head into the match on the back of a disappointing 2-0 defeat in Dumbarton in the Challenge Cup quarter-final on Saturday.

"I don't think we played anywhere near where we have been this season," Robertson said.

"Strangely, when it went 2-0 all, of sudden we were being braver on the ball, and we ended up having more chances with 10 men.

"Maybe certain boys mindsets were, 'stuff it, we've got nothing to lose'.

"It's back to league business on Tuesday and it will be a totally different game."

Robertson believes the players are due a good performance, however, he emphasised that tonight's match comes too early in the campaign to have any significant bearing on the title race.

"After a setback like Saturday, we feel like we owe the manager a real performance," Robertson said.

"People will say psychologically, yes the result can be important, but it all depends who gets the most points at the end of the season.

"If you can beat them you're stopping them getting points and gaining points on them yourself, so that does count for a lot, but at the end of the season whoever has the most points will win the league and that's all that matters.

"It doesn't mean anything at all at this stage of the season."