Raith take over at the top

Posted Sunday, February 04, 2018 by PA

Raith Rovers moved top of Ladbrokes League One following a comfortable 3-1 victory over bottom side Queen’s Park at Hampden Park.

Promotion contenders Raith took the lead through Euan Murray after 15 minutes and team-mate Willis Furtado picked out the top corner following a fast break three minutes later to make it 2-0.

Liam Buchanan added a third on the half-hour mark, firing Bobby Barr’s assist into the bottom corner, while Hearts loanee Aidan Keena pulled one back for the home side three minutes before the break.

The Spiders lost midfielder Gregor Fotheringham to a second yellow card at the death and remain stranded at the bottom.

Ayr dropped down to second after giving away a 1-0 lead to lose 2-1 at home to Alloa, who moved up to fourth as a result.

League One top-scorer Lawrence Shankland took his tally to 17 for the season as his early strike from the edge of the box found the top corner, but Jamie McCart’s close-range header four minutes later brought Alloa level and Ross Stewart put the visitors ahead midway through the first half.

Midfielder Omar Kader’s 28th-minute strike was enough to hand Arbroath a narrow 1-0 victory over Albion Rovers, extending their unbeaten league run to six matches as they moved up to third.

Airdrie ended their four-match run without a win as Dale Carrick glanced Darryl Duffy’s header into the net five minutes before half-time in a 1-0 victory at second-bottom Forfar.

East Fife also returned to winning ways with a 2-0 away victory over Stranraer, who dropped down two spots to fifth as a result.

Scott Linton converted a 58th-minute penalty awarded to East Fife after Chris McGowan brought down Kieran Millar in the box and Mark Lamont doubled their lead three minutes later as he fired Millar’s cross into the bottom corner to seal maximum points.