22/11/03 Parscelona 1 Raith Rovers 6

November 22nd 2003

St Leonards, Dunfermline

Parscelona should have taken an early lead against a Rovers side who looked very different to the one that lost in Kirkcaldy a few months before. Fraser Adamson's run into the box was halted by a Raith defender grabbing a handful of his shirt, but Alan Maxwell's penalty kick hit the post and went wide. Incidentally, Callum and Jason were to blame for this, as they had not set up the goals in the centre.

Alan missed another slightly more difficult effort a couple of minutes later when he got on the end of a Johnnie MacDougall cross but sent his header over the bar.

The missed chances proved important as Raith took the lead will a ball through the centre splitting the defence wide open. If this wasn't bad enough, a similar opening gave them a two goal lead within minutes.

Parscelona were not short of further chances. Alan Maxwell took advantage of a defender's slip-up but shot wide; Callum Norris had a shot tipped onto the post which was then cleared by the defender who just managed to nip in before Alan could latch onto the rebound; Ali McLeod had a shot cleared off the line; and Steven Clark had a shot wide of the target.

Rovers however extended their lead when Grant Macleod's attempted clearance was sliced back into his own net and a shot from 8-yards out made it 4-0.

The game was a fine illustration of the difference between creating chances and scoring them - Stuart Manson was next to try for Parscelona but hit his shot wide, then a Grant Macleod free kick was lobbed straight at the keeper. Conversely, a Rovers shot from the edge of the box at the other end found its way in to make it 5-0.

Parscelona grabbed one back when Steven Clark was apparently fouled in the box, Alan Maxwell this time hitting the spot with his penalty kick.

Raith's response was swift and failure to clear the lines at a free kick allowed a Rover to stroll in and score from 6 yards.

Parscelona again created chances but Steven Clark managed to header Grant Macleod's cross over the bar from close range and Keith Mackie directed his effort straight at the goalie from all of 2 yards. 

Parscelona squad: K. Mackie, C. Norris, J. MacDougall, A. Maxwell, S. Manson, G. Macleod, C. Ozog, Alex Mercer (referee), M. Falconer, J. Hunkin, M. Driver, N. Holland, R. McGregor, F. Adamson, A. McLeod, S. Clark