Raith's Highland hoodoo goes on with goalless draw

It’s been 21 years since Rovers last beat the Highlanders but they don’t have too long to wait to put an end to such an unwelcome record – the teams meet again on Tuesday night at Stark’s Park.

It was a decent point for the visitors who racked up their second scoreless draw in a row and much like Tuesday night against Ayr United, it was an entertaining match which left the BBC Scotland audience baffled as to how neither side scored with both creating numerous chances over the 90 minutes.

Raith boss John McGlynn made five changes to the side that had started against Ayr United – Iain Davidson, Ross Matthews, Dan Armstrong, Brad Spencer and Manny Duku made way for Frankie Musonda, Adam King, Dylan Tait, Gozie Ugwu and Jamie Gullan.

The hosts, without a win in five games, still had interim boss Neil McCann in the dugout whilst John Robertson remains on compassionate leave after a family bereavement.

Raith started the game on top and passed up two great chances to score in the early part of the match.

In the eighth minute Regan Tumilty crossed where Ugwu took a fresh air swipe at the near post.

After a Kai Kennedy free kick had just cleared the bar just a couple of minutes it was then Musonda’s turn to pass up a great chance when he scooped the ball over the bar from the edge of the six yard box after it had landed at his feet from a Kennedy corner in the 15th minute.

But after all of Raith’s early dominance it was the hosts who should have opened the scoring on 28 minutes.

Keeper Jamie MacDonald parried a Dan Mackay strike and Kieran MacDonald partially cleared as the ball threatened to cross the line.

The ball came to Caley’s MacGregor who smacked the ball against the Raith defender when it seemed easier to score.

It was an incredible miss and a massive let off for the Kirkcaldy side.

The last chance of the half came on 36 minutes when Ugwu passed up another missed good opportunity, heading wide when unchallenged from a Kennedy cross.

Six minutes into the second half and Rovers almost took the lead courtesy of a Caley defender.

David Carson took a wild swipe at a Tumilty cross and with Mark Ridgers rooted to his goal line, it went inches past the post.

Next it was Caley who came close on 61 minutes when Carson crossed and captain Sean Welsh smacked a header against the post with MacDonald stranded on his line, before Dylan Tait shot just over for Raith 10 minutes later.

Rovers came close to winning it 87 minutes when Ridgers pulled off a great save from a Tait strike and sub Ross Mathews put the rebound narrowly wide.