Raith Rovers suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Hearts in a pre-season friendly at Stark’s Park on Saturday evening, with Rogers Mato’s 89th-minute finish sealing the win for the visitors. The only goal arrived after a short Hearts backpass allowed Mato to pounce, turning the ball past Raith goalkeeper into the net.
What happened at Stark’s Park?
Raith manager John McGlynn made wholesale changes to his starting XI, resting key players after Tuesday’s heavy Champions League qualifying loss to Sturm Graz. Hearts, meanwhile, fielded a largely different side to blood new faces and give squad minutes. With time almost up, substitute Mato capitalized on a defensive error to fire home the winner, ending Raith’s hopes of a share of the spoils.
The visitors dominated late on, piling pressure on Raith’s backline. But the home side lacked cutting edge in front of goal, mustering few clear chances despite controlling spells. The defeat leaves Raith without a win in their last three outings, though they remain unbeaten in their last two league games.
Why it matters for Raith Rovers
This friendly loss comes as Raith sit fifth in the Scottish Championship with 45 points from 36 games in the final 2025 table, 32 points adrift of league leaders St Johnstone. Their recent form reads WWLLL over the last five matches, with a two-game winning streak snapped by Hearts’ late strike. The side have scored 43 goals and conceded 42 this season, sitting on a +1 goal difference.
The setback arrives ahead of Raith’s next league outing, where they’ll look to rediscover their scoring touch. Their last competitive result was a 3-2 victory over Ross County on 1 May 2026, a game that saw them overturn a two-goal deficit before snatching all three points in stoppage time.
What comes next for Raith?
Raith’s focus now turns to their league campaign, with the new season set to kick off shortly. The side will be keen to build on their two recent wins and tighten up at the back after conceding late goals in friendlies. McGlynn’s squad faces a busy schedule, with Raith needing to close the gap to the top six if they’re to mount a push for the play-offs.
Hearts, meanwhile, return to European action on Tuesday as they host Sturm Graz in the second leg of their Champions League qualifier, aiming to overturn a 4-0 first-leg deficit. Raith’s next outing will be a stern test as they look to rediscover momentum before the league curtain rises.
Raith Rovers sit fifth in the Championship with 45 points from the final 2025 table, 32 points behind leaders St Johnstone, and have scored 43 goals while conceding 42 this season.
