Saints had this game won inside the first twenty minutes as Raith showed everyone why they are already relegated, and Kean showed us what we had been missing for the past few weeks. Even before the Saints opener it was clear which team was going to end up on top, with the Raith defence looking awful, although they did manage to clear a Kean effort off the line! Kean was looking lively and the Saints wingers were looking dangerous.
Hugh Murray became the first Saints player since we played Ross County weeks ago to find the net when he launched himself at a cross, completely missed the ball and almost took the net down with him.
With just fourteen minutes on the clock Saints made the breakthrough. Home debutant Alan Reid found some space on the right to produce a great cross, and former Raith player Laurie Ellis appeared, marked by the invisible man, to powerfully head past David Berthelot. Clearly the Raith players, in particular Moussa Ouattara, hadn't heard of defending.
The second came just two minutes later, although there wasn't much the Raith players could do. Allan Russell, who once again showed why he should be starting over Brian McGinty, picked up the ball from some distance and cracked a shot, despite having better options. Some places say 30, some places so 40, in terms of yardage, but whatever the distance it was a cracking hit and flew into the top corner. Berthelot had had no chance, despite being useless.
Number three was just a few more minutes away, Russell doing some great work on the right to produce a perfect cross. The invisible man did his job as he marked Kean brilliantly and the former Ayr striker easily volleyed past Berthelot from close range.
And that was it. Saints dominated the first half, creating some more chances and not taking any of them. Raith's number six somehow escaped a booking for kicking Kean.
The second half was more of the same, Raith sadly taking off the comical Ouattara. They improved a bit (not difficult) and had a few chances, even forcing Craig Hinchcliffe into a few decent saves. Saints also pushed but seemed to have settled for the win, which was fair enough.
So, a nice wee three goal win to end our goal drought, and another clean sheet. More of the same against Queen of the South next week will do nicely.