Raith Rovers 1 Queen’s Park 1

With illness and injury hitting the squad captain Dom Thomas, defender Nikola Ujdur and goal-grabbing midfielder Jack Turner were all missing.

There were a total of four changes to the team that started at Annan eight days ago with Calum Ferrie, Cammy Kerr, Dane Murray and Roddy MacGregor restored to the starting line-up.

They were in place of Ujdur and the trio of Jack Wills, Zach Mauchin and Rocco Hickey-Fugaccia who moved to the bench where they were joined by a fit-again Jack Thomson and youngster Lennon Connolly.

Both sides displayed ‘Show Racism The Red Card’ on their jerseys as the hosts kicked off with the Blue and White shirted QP captained by Calum Ferrie who opted to switch the sides around with his team shooting towards the visiting supporters.

Clever play from Ryan Duncan won a corner in three minutes with the home defence clearing MacGregor’s low delivery.

Cammy Kerr played a one-two off the legs of Finlay Pollock shortly afterwards and then hooked a ball forward that McLeish showed bags of pace as he looked to get on the end of it, only to be denied a route to goal by Callum Fordyce.

In six minutes, a Dylan Easton 18-yard shot bounced awkwardly in front of Ferrie with the shot-stopper pushing it past the post.

Seven minutes later a deft turn from McLeish earned a foul 10 yards into the Raith half with Kerr’s delivery starting off a period of pressure on Kevin Dabrowski’s goal however that pressure was not turned into chances.

On 16 minutes a Lewis Jamieson corner into a tightly packed six-yard box came off Fordyce’s head and a combination of Ferrie and the woodwork saw the ball flash wide.

Ferrie was involved again sixty seconds later as he pushed away a Jack Hamilton header from Pollok cross.

Zak Rudden had The Spiders’ first attempt on target with a scooped volley that forced Dabrowski into a save before the ball was back down the other end with Ferrie cutting out a dangerous Easton cross.

On 21 minutes Hamilton broke through the visiting defensive ranks with Murray and Ferrie managing to put enough pressure on the striker before his shot was helped wide.

Easton sent a shot wide before Henry Fieldson showed great pace to take the ball off Jamieson just when he looked to fire at goal.

On 34 minutes a cross from left by Duncan was crossed back from the right by Louis Longridge where Duncan and Rudden both tried to find the net before a flattened McLeish looked to head the ball home.

Raith were awarded a penalty on 38 minutes when Easton tumbled with Duncan in close attendance and Hamilton netted from the spot.

A piercing cross-field pass from Longridge in injury time looked to have opened up a route to goal for Duncan only for Dabrowski to race from his line and kick clear.

Half time – Raith Rovers 1 Queen’s Park 0

The hosts won a corner within 30 seconds of the restart with Queen’s clearing after the dead ball had been flicked on.

It quickly became apparent that Duncan had been switched to the right with Longridge moving into a central role and MacGregor moving out left as Queen’s looked to get even.

On 52 minutes McLeish rode two challenges in the Raith box before finding Duncan with his cross deflected just out of reach of Rudden in the six-yard box.

Further visiting pressure came a minute later as Fieldson charged down the left and crossed low for Rudden who looked to be taken out of the play however referee Scott never pointed to the spot.

Fieldson created further danger on the left when he controlled a Sean Welsh pass and looked to find MacGregor in the box with Dabrowski nipping out of his goal to save.

More good play from Queen’s came and a flicked McLeish effort after a well-worked corner was pushed past for another flag kick by a full-stretch Dabrowski.

The goal that Queen’s second half performance deserved came on 63 minutes when Rudden found MacGregor at the edge of the box, and he touched the ball back to McLEISH, who sent a first time shot low into the net from 20 yards with the aid of a deflection.

Hamilton had the Stark’s Park’s side’s first chance of the second half with quarter of an hour to go when a cross picked him out at the back post with the striker sending a volley over.

The play was soon up at the other end again and after MacGregor and Fieldson had combined Rudden brought the ball down and shot with his effort deflected past.

Ferrie did well to cut out a Lewis Stevenson cross as Raith looked to get back on top with home skipper Scott Brown sending flashing past on 84 minutes.

There were loud home cries for a penalty with two minutes left after Kerr had cleared at the expense of a corner with referee Scott unmoved.

In the final minute the home side’s Easton was dismissed as he picked up two quick-fire cards for punching the ball away in frustration and then for something said to the Match Official.

Queen’s Park – Calum Ferrie, Cammy Kerr, Will Tizzard, Dane Murray, Henry Fieldson, Louis Longridge (Seb Drozd 90+1), Sean Welsh, Roddy MacGregor, Ryan Duncan, Liam McLeish (Reece Evans 69), Zak Rudden (Jack Thomson 88)
Unused substitutes – Jack Wills (G/k), Zach Mauchin, Josh Hinds, Lennon Connolly, Rocco Hickey-Fugaccia, Magnus Mackenzie.

Raith Rovers – Kevin Dabrowski, Paul Hanlon, Callum Fordyce, Jack Hamilton, Fankaty Dabo, Finlay Pollock (Sam Stanton 65), Scott Brown, Shaun Byrne (Callum Smith 72), Dylan Easton, Lewis Jamieson (Aidan Connolly 89), Lewis Stevenson.
Unused substitutes – Andrew McNeil (G/k), Liam Dick, Euan Murray, Ross Matthews, Josh Mullin, Kai Montagu.

Referee – Callum Scott