Raith Rovers Walking Football regained their Christmas Cup with a comprehensive win in the final.

Raith Rovers beat Fairfield in the final of their annual Christmas Cup on Sunday (16/11/2023). Both teams had won their qualifying groups with Fairfield progressing to beat Hibernian and Raith beating Fife Wanderers in the semi finals to set up a repeat of last year’s final.

In Group 1, after an opening 2-2 draw Hibs and Raith, battled it out until the last round of games.  With both teams on 7 points Hibs needed to match Raith’s result and not give up a 2 goal superior goal difference to take the group.  However a 2-1 reverse to Dunfermline Dynamos and a Raith 2-0 win over Fife Wanderers saw Raith top the group and Hibs, in their first competitive tournament go through to the semis in second place.

In Group 2 Fairfield and the high scoring Fife Wanderers 2 progressed to the semis.  Fairfield swept through the group unbeaten while Wanderers only lost to Fairfield and managed to score 4 goals in two of their games.

The semis saw Fairfield take on Hibs and Raith, Fife Wanderers 2.  A tiring Hibs team fell to a vastly more experienced Fairfield team in a tight match which ended in a 2-1 victory to last year’s winners.  In the other semi another tight scoreline saw Fife Wanderers 2 lose to Raith 3-2 to set up a repeat of last year’s final.

In the final Raith scored early and then built up a 4-0 lead before a late consolation for Fairfield resulted in a 4-1 win for the Rovers and the cup returning to Starks Park.

Finally a big thanks to all of the teams, players and officials who turned out and especially to the referees without whom we wouldn’t be able to have competitions like this.