The over 50s returned to competitive league action on Sunday after the summer break and an enforced extra month off due to injuries and availability issues. This meant that last months fixtures against Fife Wanderers, Montrose and Saints in the Community were forfeited as 3-0 defeats. This month’s fixtures are against St Andrews and East Neuk, St James and Carnoustie Panmure.

After a few months away from league action the team are eager to get back to it but we sit out the first round of games.
Montrose 2-0 St Andrews and East Neuk
Arbroath 2-0 Fairfield
Fife Wanderers 1-2 St James
Dundee Utd CT 1-1 Saints in the Community

Our first game back is against St Andrews and East Neuk who currently sit at the bottom of the table but have a few very good players. The game starts well for Rovers. In two minutes Scott and John exchange a flurry of short passes in front of the St Andrews goal and John slides the ball past the keeper. Five minutes later a pass in from the corner finds Scott who puts the ball behind the keeper for 2-0. Before the restart Willie comes on for Dave. Raith regain the ball after the kick off and a nice passing move through the middle of the pitch finishes with Willie scoring with almost his first touch. A minute later a through ball from Willie sees Kev get the slightest of touches to divert the ball past the keeper for 4-0. In 13 minutes Charles comes on for Haig and a minute later Scott scores again to finish the scoring 5-0. A special mention for George Lindsay in goals for the first time. A few great saves and a clean sheet.
Raith 5-0 St Andrews and East Neuk

Carnoustie Panmure 0-2 Dundee Utd CT
Raith 5-0 St Andrews and East Neuk
Crieff Juniors 3-1 Saints in the Community
Fife Wanderers 0-3 Tayport

We sit out the next round of games.
Fairfield 4-1 Tayport
Montrose 0-6 St James
Saints in the Community 2-0 St Andrews and East Neuk
Crieff Juniors 3-0 Dundee Utd CT

Our second game of the day is against table toppers St James. As always it promises to be a tight competitive game. The game starts well with the defence not allowing St James forwards much space but in the second minute St James get some space and the ball ends up in our net 0-1. The boys press and the game flows back and forward with chances for both sides. In the tenth minute a speculative shot from the left beats George in the Raith goal and St James increase their lead 0-2. A minute later though the fight back starts with a wicked Scott Jackson shot that takes a slight deflection off a defender and flies past the St James keeper 1-2. Raith continue to press but a mix up in defence in the thirteenth minute leaves a St James player free at the edge of the box and he makes no mistake 1-3. Despite some valiant pressing the match finishes.
Raith 1-3 St James

Raith 1-3 St James
Carnoustie Panmure 1-2 Fairfield
Montrose 1-2 Tayport
Arbroath 5-1 Fife Wanderers

We finish the day with a match against Carnoustie Panmure. Never an easy team to play but after a hard game against St James this could be tough. The game starts well for Raith with a rare Willie Carroll goal in the second minute 0-1. However the lead doesn’t last and Carnoustie equalise within a minute 1-1. Three minutes later and he does it again. Willie Carroll is now looking for a hat trick which will make him totally unbearable in the car journey home 2-1. Raith change keeper replacing George with Scott. In the eighth minute the impossible almost happens. First Willie hits the post and then unbelievably he hits the post again with the ball then rebounding off the keeper and……it’s a corner. In ten minutes Carnoustie equalise and just after Raith replace Dave with Charles they score again to go ahead 2-3. With time running out Charles slips the ball to John and he shoots past the Carnoustie keeper to tie things up 3-3.
The game ends with honours even and Raith gaining four points out of nine this month.
Carnoustie Panmure 3-3 Raith