Brown and Turner close the gap as Imrie's Raith set sights on Ochilview showdown
Sunday 11 October 2026 · By Holly Ritchie
Not every win has to be pretty. Raith Rovers beat Queen's Park 2–0 at Stark's Park on Saturday, and even Dougie Imrie admitted the second half wasn't great. But with Stenhousemuir losing in Inverness, the result could hardly have been better timed.
Raith are now two points behind the leaders, with a trip to Ochilview next Saturday that suddenly looks like the biggest game of the Championship season so far.
Captain Scott Brown opened the scoring, and Kyle Turner added the second from the penalty spot. Queen's Park disputed both goals, and their manager Sean Crighton was booked for complaining to the officials. From Raith's point of view, though, the important thing was getting the job done.
Imrie was honest that his team didn't play well after the break. That honesty is part of what makes this Raith side interesting. They're not happy just to win; they expect to play well. But being able to win when you're not at your best is often what separates title contenders from the rest.
The numbers back that up. Raith have 20 points from 10 games, with six wins, two draws and two defeats. They've scored 15 league goals, the most in the division, and their goal difference of +9 is the best in the league. They have played a game more than Stenhousemuir, which is worth keeping in mind when you look at the table.
There's one injury worry to keep an eye on. Dylan Easton hurt his ankle in the 3 October game against Morton, and Imrie memorably described it as being "like a water balloon". We haven't seen a clear update on his fitness, so his availability for next weekend is still uncertain. Check the club's team news closer to the game.
Brown's role in the side deserves a mention too. As captain, he's been a steady presence, and Saturday's goal was a reminder that he can still make the difference in big moments.
Next up is the one everyone's talking about. Raith travel to Stenhousemuir on Saturday 17 October at 15:00 for a first-against-second meeting. Marvin Bartley's side lost their unbeaten record on Saturday, so they'll be desperate to respond. Raith will know a win would take them top.
After that, Raith host Inverness on 24 October. Scott Kellacher's side were the team that beat Stenny, so that's no easy game either. Then Raith travel to Arbroath on Saturday 31 October.
It's a demanding run, but Raith look well placed. They're scoring goals, they're winning games, and they've got the experience in the squad to handle big occasions.
The second half on Saturday showed there's still work to do. But two points off the top with the leaders next up is exactly where Raith want to be.
Stark's Park has been Raith Rovers' home since 1891, pressed into the south of Kirkcaldy between Pratt Street and the Edinburgh to Aberdeen railway. It is a proper old ground rather than a bowl: two large modern ends, a slim stand along the tracks, and a century-old main stand that stops halfway down one side. Capacity is 8,867, all seated. The pitch runs north to south.
You will normally be in the Metrotile North Stand, directly behind the north goal. It mirrors the home end: a single steep tier, a roof, windshields, and floodlights rising out of the roof. The rake is sharp, so the penalty area in front of you is easy to read. A small away following is sometimes put in the south side of the Turnbull Hutton Main Stand instead, so check the ticket. Segregation is simple, and the stewards are generally welcoming.
The plan above has north at the top, the end you will usually occupy. Both goals sit on the goal lines, in front of the stands behind them: the north goal in front of the Metrotile North Stand, the south goal in front of the Penman Family South Stand. They are not on the touchlines. The SM Lighting Railway Stand runs the west side, with the tracks behind it. Opposite, the Turnbull Hutton Main Stand fills only the south-east corner: an L-shaped Archibald Leitch stand, raised on pillars, with the RRFC gable, covering less than half the pitch. The rest of the east side is open ground facing Pratt Street.
Home support gathers in the South Stand, behind the south goal, and in the main stand, which also holds the offices, dressing rooms and hospitality. The Railway Stand is covered but often unused. Do not assume you can drift into it. From the away end you look down on your own goal and straight at the home end opposite.
Kirkcaldy station is about half a mile north, ten to fifteen minutes on foot. From platform 2, walk to the railway bridge, turn right past Abbotshall Church, and follow Abbotshall Road with the line on your left until it becomes Pratt Street. The X58 from Edinburgh drops you a short walk away. By car, leave the A92 at Kirkcaldy West, take the A910 and follow the football signs. Street parking is the norm, station and Beveridge Park car parks are limited, and Pratt Street can close about half an hour before kick-off. Book away coaches into Beveridge Park or the esplanade in advance.
Away turnstiles are at the north entrance on Pratt Street, with a ticket office behind the North Stand. The south entrance, up the ramp, serves the main stand and the home end. Buy online beforehand; prices move with the fixture, and Dunfermline games cost more. Each stand has toilets and a tea bar. Pies, tea and coffee go quickly around kick-off, and the club shop is by the main stand ticket office. There is no alcohol inside. Pubs are a fifteen-minute walk into town: the Duchess of Kirkcaldy near the seafront, the Exchequer on the High Street, and the Robert Nairn, a Wetherspoons on Kirk Wynd.
The pitch has been artificial since 2018, about 113 yards by 70, so the ball runs true in bad weather. A replacement synthetic surface was planned for 2026/27. Usual ground rules apply: no pyrotechnics, no abusive singing, and no filming of the match itself. Photographs of the stands before kick-off are fine, and the main stand is the one worth a picture. Sit high in the North Stand and watch the game come straight at you.