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

The Champions League kicked off at 1pm today and saw Raith compete against the top two teams from each of the three Walking Football Regional Leagues in 2021. From the West league we have Giffnock SC Auld Timers and Townhead Strollers. From Central we have North Lanarkshire and Hearts 56′. And from the East we have ourselves and our good friends St James. Each team plays every other team once in a league format and the team with the most points after five games, wins.

First up our fellow East league team, St James. We’re expecting a tough tight game here having played St James many times and honours being almost even. Unfortunately we go one down early when big Franny gets the ball and manages to get past our defence and slot the ball home. The game continues and is tight with few chances for either side. A lot of hustle and bustle in midfield. With the game drawing to a close and Raith pressing a saved shot from St James ends at Franny’s feet unmarked at the edge of the box and he managed to seal the game with a last minute strike.
St James 2-0 Raith
Giffnock 3-2 Townhead
North Lanarkshire 0-0 Hearts

Next up West league winners Giffnock SC Auld timers. A sporting gesture from Giffnock at the start of the game as they hand over a team pennant. A tight start to the game with both sides cancelling each other out changed in the ninth minute with two quick Giffnock goals. Despite a lot of effort Raith were unable to get a toe hold back in the game and the game ended at two nil to Giffnock.
St Jame 1-0 North Lanarkshire
Raith 0-2 Giffnock
Hearts 0-0 Townhead

Our third match was against Hearts 56′, runners up in the Central league. Two games in and Raith haven’t yet scored but a first minute goal in this game puts that right. A free kick played to John Wylie sees him slot the ball into the net on the keeper’s right. As in other games a lot of hustle and bustle but no morew goals and Raith hold on for their first win of the tournament.
Hearts 0-1 Raith
North Lanarkshire 0-2 Townhead
St James1-0 Giffnock

Our penultimate game of the day, against Central winners North Lanarkshire and the trophy is out of reach and we’re playing for pride. An early goal from Kevin Thomson in the third minute sets the team up for our second win of the day with Kevin also getting the second after a nice turn and pass from Harry Younger.
St James 1-1 Townhead
Raith 2-0 North Lanarkshire
Hearts 2-2 Giffnock

Our final match against West league runners up, Townhead Strollers. With us sitting in third a point ahead of Townhead a draw confirms our third place finish. Again a tight game with some questionable refereeing decisions for and against each side. For the first time in all five games the ref calls a running foul against us. Then another. And then a third and it’s a ninth minute penalty for Townhead. The taker steps up and puts it to Pagey’s left but it hits the post and the chance is gone. Four minutes later though and a break down the left sees a shot across the goal and in off the post. With two minutes left Townhead play a good pressing game cutting down any Raith chance of an equaliser and the game finishes one nil to Townhead.
North Lanarkshire 3-0 Giffnock
Raith 0-1 Townhead
St James 5-1 Hearts

And so the day ends with Raith in fourth place overall and the Champions League trophy going to fellow East League team St James who once again were unbeaten throughout the tournament.
Congratulations to St James. See you again in the league.