Tony Dingwall hoping to rediscover Premiership form at Raith Rovers

Tony Dingwall has made a Raith Rovers starting place his own since moving to the club in January following his release from Ross County.
Easter Road  Edinburgh -
Raith v Hibs  -
DINGWALL shot from edge of the box blocked - 
credit- Fife Photo AgencyEaster Road  Edinburgh -
Raith v Hibs  -
DINGWALL shot from edge of the box blocked - 
credit- Fife Photo Agency
Easter Road Edinburgh - Raith v Hibs - DINGWALL shot from edge of the box blocked - credit- Fife Photo Agency

It is a welcome return to first team football for the 24-year-old, who made his mark in the Premiership before falling out of the picture at County following a serious injury.

“I came here to play football because I was sitting on the bench at Ross County, and I’ve really enjoyed it,” he said.

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“I’ve had a chance to play and hopefully the fans can see I’ve done reasonably well.

“When I was younger I broke through at County and played maybe 50 games in the Premiership, but since then it’s gone one way or another through injuries or just me not being good enough when I’ve had a chance.

“Hopefully now I can kick on and get back to that level again.”

Many Raith fans assumed the club had signed an out-and-out winger when Dingwall joined the club but he revealed his favoured position to be a central role behind the strikers.

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“I’ve played wide but throughout my whole youth career I was a number 10 and that’s where I’ve been playing the last couple of games, at the tip of the diamond,” he said.

“Hopefully I can keep playing there and maybe chip in with a few goals sooner rather than later.

“It’s not quite fell for me just yet. I had a header on Saturday go just past the post when I couldn’t quite reach it, and a few shots that I didn’t quite catch the way I’d want to.

“But hopefully my first goal is coming!”

Dingwall has not yet given up hope of winning the League One title this season but admits Saturday’s match against Arbroath at Stark’s Park is must-win.

“It’s basically the last chance saloon,” he said.

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“If we want to have any chance at all of winning the league we have to win that game and hope they have a wee fall towards the end of the season.

“I knew it was always going to be a difficult task to win the league coming here, but I feel like our recent performances have warranted more.

“We should have won the games against Brechin and Forfar but we came away with a defeat and a draw.

“We’ve had so many chances, but we’re just not killing teams off and losing silly goals at the other end.

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“We had a talk in changing room, and we know it’s not been good enough.

“We need to kick on now and hopefully pick up a few points between now and the end of the season and see whether it can be play-offs, or a miracle and win the league.”

Dingwall was speaking after the Scottish Cup defeat at Hibs on Saturday.

“The fans were brilliant and came in their numbers,” he said.

“We’re disappointed we couldn’t get the result they wanted but hopefully in the last 20 minutes we put on a performance they are proud of.”