We're not getting the breaks, says Raith Rovers boss McGlynn

There are contributing factors to Raith Rovers’ loss of form in the Championship, according to manager John McGlynn.
Dario Zanatta fires an effort on the Kilmarnock goal during Saturday's defeat. (Pic: Charlie Gilmour)Dario Zanatta fires an effort on the Kilmarnock goal during Saturday's defeat. (Pic: Charlie Gilmour)
Dario Zanatta fires an effort on the Kilmarnock goal during Saturday's defeat. (Pic: Charlie Gilmour)

Whilst facing up to the fact that a nine-game run without claiming three points isn’t good enough, McGlynn points to a number of variables that may have contributed to the alarming slump, which started back in December with an injury-time 1-0 loss to Saturday’s opponents Partick Thistle.

New signings, injuries and players going off the boil have all hindered the side’s progress since according to the Stark’s Park boss.

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“Nine games without a win is quite a long time,” he concedes.

“If you go back to the first of those games, we're at Firhill, it was a horrible, horrible day, it was foggy, the pitch was rubbish, Christophe [Berra] gets sent off and we lose with the last kick of the ball.

“He then gets a two-match ban and since then he's been in and out of the team with injury.

“In that period the only game we've won was against Banks O' Dee. I'm not saying that it's all about Christophe, but there have been a lot of changes in the team.

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“New players have come in and we have to try and get them to gel.”

"We lost Dylan Tait, Brad Spencer has been out injured - quite a lot has changed.

“We need to get a win, get a little bit of confidence back and kick on.

McGlynn points to other teams in Scotland who have been able to turn around a poor run of form, and says he’s confident his side can do the same.

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“Look at St Johnstone. They were on a terrible run, beaten by Kelty Hearts and knocked out of the Scottish Cup and now they're on the up.

“It only takes one game, like this Saturday's match with Partick Thistle, to do that.

“We know the situation, no-one's daft at this club, we're on a bad run but I have belief in these players and I have confidence in everyone here.”

Fine margins in games have also been a factor in failing to get that elusive win of late, according to McGlynn.

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“Every game is tight. They were tight when we were on that 15-game unbeaten run, it's just getting that little break.

“Against Kilmarnock Lafferty's header hits the bar then drops right on the boy's foot, it could have dropped to one of our guys and they would have cleared it.

“It's little breaks like that, that we were getting previously but were not getting them now.

“These things are contributing factors.

"The changes that have happened, Brad [Spencer] getting injured, Dylan Tait going, a wee bit of loss of form with some players, Ethon Varian was out injured for a wee while, Bene [Kyle Benedictus] has been out, we lost Tom Lang - there's been a few bits and pieces and it's been unsettling.

“The defence has been chopping and changing too.

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“There's a number of things there that can derail you so we just have to knuckle down.

“We're going to have to try and change things a little bit to try to get this win, but we're certainly needing a real big, spirited performance from everyone and if we can win the game against Partick then things will start to look more positive.”

It’s one win apiece between Raith and Partick this season with both sides taking the points on their respective home turf.

The Firhill side missed the opportunity to leapfrog Raith into third in the Championship table when they lost 1-0 at home to Morton of Tuesday night, but still have three games in hand and remain just a point behind the Kirkcaldy club.

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McGlynn says his side will need to recapture their best form if they want to win a match which cold prove crucial in securing a play-off place in the league.

"They've got a good squad and added to it in January as everyone has.

“They've got three games in hand and they gave Dundee United a good game in the Scottish Cup.

“Big Brian Graham got a hat trick up in Inverness. We know him from when he was here previously and we know the type of players they've got and what we need to do.

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“They were here in Stark's Park back in September and we won so we know we can beat them.

“But we'll need to be at our best. We'll need to scrap, we'll need to fight, we need to support each other and back each other, run through brick wall, block shorts and at the other end get on the end of crosses and follow things in.

“We need to do better with our set plays too and these are all things that we can do. These aren't unsurmountable.

“We're just going to try and put on a performance and get the win.”