* RAITH Rovers and St Johnstone grabbed a promotion lifeline yesterday
to warn the first division's top three that they are still there.
Fourth-placed Raith pulled back three of the 10 points they were adrift
of Airdrie in third with a 3-2 victory at Stark's Park, while
fifth-placed Saints did exactly the same to Dunfermline in second spot.
Dundee took advantage to move four points clear at the top with Jim
Hamilton scoring the only goal against his namesakes at Firhill.
At the other end of the league, bottom club Stranraer added to their
red-card tally again when Jim McCann was sent off at Love Street. St
Mirren eased their relegation worries when David Elliot scored the only
goal.
And second-bottom Ayr United looked to be gaining three valuable
points at Somerset Park until Clydebank's Tom Currie equalised four
minutes from time.
Raith Rovers 3, Airdrie 2
DAVID Sinclair fired Raith Rovers to their first victory since they
lifted the Coca Cola Cup exactly one month ago when he hammered a
last-minute winner into the net from 20 yards.
The substitute's dramatic strike revived Raith's promotion hopes at
the start of a crucial festive holiday campaign in which they also face
challengers St Johnstone and Dunfermline.
The victory took Raith to within seven points of Airdrie, and perhaps
significantly it came as hit man Ally Graham returned from injury. He
partnered prolific striker Gordon Dalziel for the first time since the
cup final, and the duo looked sharp in a first half in which Raith
played the better football.
Colin Cameron gave them the lead in 16 minutes with a superb goal. He
dashed on to a Dalziel knockdown and beat keeper John Martin from 12
yards. The lead lasted just four minutes as Airdrie hit back with a
little help from a muddled home defence. They allowed a ball to bounce
around the box and Stephen Cooper took full advantage to lash home the
equaliser.
The Diamonds then suffered in incredible double miss after 29 minutes
as shots from Cooper and Jim Boyle both beat keeper Scott Thomson only
to be cleared off the line by full backs Julian Broddle and Stephen
McAnespie.
Raith then snatched the lead. A Jimmy Nicholl cross was touched inside
by Graham and Dalziel scored.
The second half proved tougher for Raith as Airdrie worked hard to
find an equaliser and the Diamonds determination paid off in 83 minutes
when Jimmy Boyle struck home a fine shot from 25 yards. The game seemed
destined to finish in stalemate until, with 60 seconds remaining,
Sinclair scored. He controlled a pass, and drilled the ball into the
back of the net.
RAITH ROVERS -- Thomson, McAnespie, Broddle, Narey, Dennis, Redford,
Nicholl, Dalziel, Graham, Cameron, Crawford. Substitutes -- Sinclair,
Wilson, Allan.
AIRDRIE -- Martin, Stewart, Jack, Sandison, Hay, Black, Boyle, Wilson,
Cooper, Harvey, Andrew Smith Substitutes -- Lawrence, Anthony Smith,
McCulloch.
Referee -- A Freeland (Aberdeen).
St Johnstone 3, Dunfermline 2
A SUPERB second-half fighting display by St Johnstone at McDiarmid
Park gave them the boost they needed to reawaken their promotion
prospects -- and handed out a warning to Dunfermline.
The Fifers seemed to be cruising when former Perth player Kenny Ward
punished slack defending and laid on two first half goals for Dutchman,
Ivo den Beiman.
The game was only six minutes old when Ward whipped over a fine cross,
and den Beiman prodded the ball home.
And it was the same set up in 24 minutes when Ward ghosted past the
home defence and floated a perfect ball for den Beiman's head to finish
the job.
In one of their first attacks Saints got one back. Kevin Twaddle
crossed, John O'Neil headed on, and Grant McMartin beat Ian Westwater
with a header.
Saints tightened their defence after the break and came storming back
into the game. But it wasn't until a double substitution after 70
minutesthat the all-important goals were scored.
Peter Davenport had replaced Twaddle and the Englishman took a Paul
Cherry cross in 74 minutes and equalised from the edge of the box with
his first kick of the ball.
Dunfermline's defence pressed the panic button and Paul Wright had
some exciting touches before O'Neil got the winner. Neale Cooper and
Westwater got into a tangle, and the Saint popped up to score the winner
from eight yards.
Five players were booked in an exciting holiday game -- David Irons,
Cherry and Harry Curran of Saints and Cooper and Stewart Petrie of
Dunfermline.
ST JOHNSTONE -- Rhodes, Cherry, Preston, Irons, Weir, McGowne, O'Neil,
McMartin, Wright, Twaddle, Curran. Substitutes -- Farquhar, Davenport.
DUNFERMLINE -- Westwater, McNamara, Fleming, Paterson, Cooper, Smith,
den Beiman, Robertson, French, Tod, Ward. Substitutes -- Millar, Petrie.
Referee -- G M Dunbar (East Kilbride).
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