Raith Rovers Go Top After Goalless Fife Derby
Raith Rovers are top of the Scottish Championship after a goalless draw with Dunfermline Athletic in the Fife derby, the local meeting between two clubs from the same county.
The point was enough to take the summit from Partick Thistle. Teams level on points are ranked by goal difference, the number of goals scored minus the number conceded, and Raith edged ahead on that measure. BBC Sport reported the change at the top of the table.
Neither side could find the breakthrough. Dunfermline stayed third, on the same points as the two teams above them. Both clubs had come into the match hoping to pull clear at the top, and neither managed it. Irish News carried the same story of a shared point.
The game was played on Friday evening at Stark's Park, Raith's home ground in Kirkcaldy, with kick-off at 7:30pm. The BBC chose it for live coverage on BBC Scotland, so fans across the country could follow the action without leaving their sofas.
Derbies between near neighbours often carry more tension than the league table suggests. This one was no different. Chances were hard to come by, and both defences held firm when it mattered.
The rivalry has a long history. According to a Raith Rovers match preview, Dunfermline have won 58 meetings between the clubs and 31 have ended level. Raith will be glad to have come away with a point, and a top spot, from a ground where the visitors have often had the upper hand.
It is still early in the season. The Championship is a long campaign, and the table can shift quickly over the coming weeks. For now, Raith sit at the top, and a fine, tight night in Fife has given their supporters something to hold onto.
