Zanatta strike secures away win for Raith Rovers

Rovers made one change from last week’s home defeat to Queen of the South - Blaise Riley-Snow returned from suspension with Kai Fotheringham dropping to the bench.

Raith kicked off with a 4-1-4-1 formation and it was they who started the match stronger, causing the Morton defence trouble down the right hand flank, without being able to force a clear cut chance.

The first 15 minutes passed without much in the way of goalmouth action, the closest either team came to a goal was a free kick from the home side’s Tom Allan which went wide.

Morton would go close again on 24 minutes with a rasping shot from Darren Hynes which was narrowly too high.

The home side were on the front foot now and three minutes later had another attempt just wide of the target, this time a low shot from Gavin Reilly.

The same player went close with a header on 33 minutes before Rovers took the lead with a Zanatta special.

Not for the first time this season the forward cut inside from the left and unleashed a superb strike to give the visitors the lead.

As half time approached Morton pushed for an equaliser, with a shot from Reilly deflecting just over Jamie MacDonald’s crossbar, so it was Rovers who would go in at the break with a 1-0 lead.

The second half started and straight from the off Morton had a great chance to equalise but Robbie Muirhead was too direct with his shot and MacDonald was able to save.

They went close again on 49 minutes when Lewis Strapp headed wide from an Oisin McEntee cross.

On 58 minutes Rovers could have extended their lead when a chip from Zantaa was cleared off the line. The clearance came to Dylan Tait and he should have done better but scuffed his shot and the danger was cleared.

Five minutes later a superb passing move from Raith ended with a Ethon Varian shot which keeper Jack Hamilton saved before Brad Spencer put a shot over the bar from the edge of the box after some great wing play from Zanatta.

With 10 minutes to go Varian was replaced by Kai Fotheringham, with Zanatta moving into the middle as the lone striker, with defender Tom Lang also replacing Tait as Rovers looked to tighten up and seal the win with five across the back.

They had a golden chance to do so moments later when Fotheringham played in Zanatta but with just Hamilton to beat his touch let him down and the chance was wasted.

Four minutes of injury time saw Morton throw everything they had at finding an equaliser but the Raith defence stood up superbly and secured a fine away win.