It was onto the serious business last Saturday as we opened our cup games at Rovers temporary ground at Bayview.

The hosts were short of a few regulars due to injury but opened brightly with three corners in the opening four minutes with one of them seeing a McKay shot come off the bar.

Duggan then sent a shot over well over for the home side with Pyper heading over following a Mullen corner at the other end.

Smith then sent an inviting ball across the face of the goal but there was no one there to take advantage.

With 26 minutes gone Nisbet sent a cross into Duggan but he fired his shot straight at McGurn.

Just after the half hour Sheerin sent over a cross which was headed over by Smith and seven minutes from the break Talbot blocked another Duggan effort.

As the first half drew to a close Smith and Buchanan combined with the latter’s angled shot being saved by Thomson.

Then on the stroke of half time a Sheerin shot took a deflection and was saved by Thomson.

The second half opened with Buchanan putting Cox through on goal but his shot was held by the keeper.

We did however block the deadlock with 53 minutes gone when Jordyn SHEERIN slotted home an angled shot at the near post after his initial effort had been blocked.

Raith then had two free kicks both by Gillespie and both easily saved by McGurn.

On the hour mark another Gillespie free kick reached Murray but his header was saved by the keeper.

The winning goal then came four minutes from time when SHEERIN took advantage of Benedictus’s short pass back to slot the ball past Thomson.

TEAM: McGurn, Mullen, Talbot, Pyper, Marsh, Miller (Scott 75), Cox (Swann 88), Malcolm, Sheerin (Muirhead 90), Buchanan & Smith. Subs not used – Goodfellow, & Fotheringham.

Goals: Sheerin (53, 86).

RAITH ROVERS: Thomson, Watson, Valentine, Davidson (Stevenson 75), Murray, Benedictus, Duggan, Gillespie, Matthews, Nisbet & McKay. Subs not used – McGuff & Berry.