Raith Rovers 1 - 0 Falkirk: Spence sets bench mark

RAITH Rovers’ top scorer, Greig Spence, rose from the bench 
to supply a deserved late winner for the Fifers with an opportunistic goal five minutes from the end of this cup tie.

Scorer: Spence (85)

On an afternoon of profligate finishing from both teams, it looked as though the striker had joined a long list of failures when his shot from point-blank range was parried by Graham Bowman.

However, the ball broke to full-back Jason Thomson and Spence was first to react when his cross came into the penalty area, firing home with aplomb.

Falkirk missed the best of the early chances in the 15th minute when Rory Loy failed to open his body and, consequently, shot wide from six yards after being found by Philip Roberts’ cutback.

Calum Elliot would almost certainly have opened the scoring if only Lewis Vaughan had picked him out with a simple pass when he was unmarked in front of goal.

Then again, when the former Hearts striker was left one-on-one with Bowman, he fired meekly at the goalkeeper.

Roberts contrived to miss from a yard out four minutes after the restart, heading wastefully wide after he had managed to get on the end of a sumptuous delivery from Stephen Kingsley.

At least Liam Fox was slightly further out when he spooned a free shot from Anderson’s cushioned header yards over the bar.

Meanwhile, Roberts’ afternoon proceeded to get worse when he was cautioned for a late tackle on Joe Cardle.

He was also fouled on the edge of the penalty area in stoppage time but Falkirk wasted the free-kick.