By Joe McDermott
Raith Rovers continued their fantastic start to the season as they beat Inverness on penalties following a nail-biting 3-3 draw at Stark’s Park.
High-flying Raith were looking to make it their second win in the Scottish League Cup following on from two emphatic league wins against Morton and Queen of the South. John Robertson’s Inverness team have not gotten off to the best start this season, travel to Kirkcaldy off the back of a 2-1 defeat to Hearts, desperately looking to pick up some form.
The first half brought plenty of action, with both teams battling it out for every loose ball. After a cagey first 10 minutes Raith Rovers’ main man Manny Duku was the one to break the deadlock, wrestling the ball from Danny Devine and calmly slotting the ball through Mark Ridgers legs to make it 1-0.
Raith were in complete control after Duku’s opener, with Daniel Armstrong dictating most of their play and creating a few fantastic chances. It was end to end stuff towards the end of the first half.
Inverness finally equalised with a well-worked counter-attack resulting in an inch perfect cross from Rangers loanee Kai Kennedy which landed directly in the path of Shane Sutherland who calmly headed it in.
John McGlynn’s men responded quickly, piling on the pressure, and winning a penalty minutes before the half-time whistle. Armstrong, who had started the game very well, walked up to the penalty spot confidently but ended up sending the ball flying into the North Stand.
Robertson’s men came out of half-time looking like a completely different team, with Keatings composing just about every Inverness attack. Raith looked shell-shocked as Inverness came closer and closer, with centre back Fernandy Mendy pulling off some heroics to keep them in it.
Against the grain of play Raith went ahead with a moment of brilliance from 19-year-old Ethan Ross, whose dazzling feet and subsequent cross deflected off Inverness defender Devine and into the back of the net.
Inverness finally had something to show for their second half efforts, completely turning the game around, scoring two in as many minutes. Keatings orchestrated both goals with the midfielder firing an unstoppable penalty into the bottom corner and bending a tantalising free kick over the wall which hit the post and was easily tapped in by 18-year-old Roddy MacGregor.
The game began to slow as a tired Raith side could not seem to piece anything together. Just as the game looked to be over, Fernandy Mendy climbed above the Highland defence and headed the ball towards Duku, who calmly slotted the ball past Mark Ridgers equalising it in the 90th minute.
90 minutes wasn’t enough to separate the two sides, so it went straight to penalties, as is the rules in the Scottish League Cup. Inverness started poorly missing their first two, while Raith looked calm as ever, coolly netting their first three. The game went to Raith as Kai Kennedy stepped up and put it wide ending an incredible game.
On a riveting night at Stark’s Park, here are three things that we learned.
Resilient Raith
It is clear by looking at McGlynn’s side that there is an abundance of quality within the squad. What is more impressive is the level of resilience and character that every player on the pitch showed to hold on and win the game against a strong Inverness team.
Quality and character don’t always come hand in hand for footballers, but this Raith side doesn’t seem to lack players of this calibre at all.
Good times ahead for Inverness
After conceding early, the Highlanders did not let their heads go down for a minute. With a very impressive second half display and stellar performances for Keatings and striker Sutherland, it is obvious that there is still so much more to come for manager Robertson and his side.
One to watch
These two sides coming head-to-head has been a rare occasion in the past, but with Raith Rovers promotions, it means we will be seeing it a lot more. Both teams have such young squads set for a bright futures, and based on this result, it’s safe to say that future fixtures between these two will definitely be ones to mark in the calendar.