Scottish Championship leaders St Johnstone face tough Raith Rovers test

A statistic posted on the social media accounts of Scottish football site Pie and Bovril sums up the feel of the Championship this season.

Essentially, it was the form guide for each of the teams over the past six games, with leaders St Johnstone top with 11 points. Perhaps more surprisingly, their opponents on Friday, Raith Rovers, are bottom with just five points.

I say surprisingly, as Rovers are just three points off a promotion play-off place - albeit they have played two more games than Ayr United, who currently sit fourth.

The glass half-full person would say they are still in with a shout.

However, if you are more the glass half-empty type, you might concernedly glance at the fact Raith are only six points clear of Airdrieonians, who currently occupy the relegation play-off place.

So, what this form table probably underlines is just how competitive this Championship season is overall.

While St Johnstone and Partick Thistle have been a slight cut above the rest, there is rarely a fixture in this division where you can confidently predict the outcome.

Form has been patchy for Raith all season. Since Dougie Imrie took over in late November there have only been two league wins. Indeed, Raith have only won seven Championship matches this season. In comparison, St Johnstone have won 14.

Injuries to Lewis Stevenson, Callum Fordyce and Shaun Byrne have not helped matters.

But there has been progress in the Challenge Cup and losing 1-0 away at holders Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup was certainly no disgrace.

And Rovers always seem to give a good account of themselves at home under the Friday lights in front of the BBC cameras.

They will need to, with St Johnstone now five points clear at the top.

The Perth side have armed themselves shrewdly with reinforcements in the January window.

While Adamah Sidibeh was allowed to leave, they brought in plenty of goal power in the form of Josh Fowler from Queen's Park and Ruraidh Paton on loan from Port Vale.

Paton scored on his debut last week in the 1-0 win at Airdrieonians, and you feel it is only a matter of time before Fowler finds the net given his gargantuan goals haul with the struggling Spiders.

The potency of the Saints front four - Jamie Gullan with the assist last week and Championship top scorer Josh McPake on the other flank - should spell plenty of trouble for Raith.

Saints have won twice and drawn the other of their three fixtures against Rovers this season, and Simo Valakari's side will be seeking to put more pressure by going eight points clear of second placed Partick Thistle, who are at home to Airdrieonians on Saturday.

Click here to read article