The first competitive match of the season took Dunfermline to Stark’s Park for a tasty derby in the group stages of the Viaplay Cup. Club captain Kyle Benedictus led his side out as he returned to Kirkcaldy to face his former club.

It was a competitive match between two sides hoping for a positive start in the cup competition however Lewis McCann was soon to be on the scoresheet for James McPake’s men on the half hour mark. His solo run in from the left allowed him to rifle the ball into the far side of the Rovers net to give the visitors the advantage.

The derby atmosphere went up a notch when Raith equalised eight minutes later. It looked like a dangerous cutback from Lewis Vaughan had been cleared but Dylan Easton gathered and forced his way into the Pars box to chip the ball into the far left of the Dunfermline goal to level the game.

Chance after chance for each side did not result in any further goals especially in a second half that became end to end with both clubs pushing for the all important three points. As the referee brought play to an end the game went to penalties to decide who takes the bonus point.

Dunfermline won the toss and stepped up first in front of the apprehensive home crowd as Lewis McCann slotted away to the bottom left. Sam Fisher, Joe Chalmers, Aaron Arnott and Dylan Easton were also all on target and after five penalties apiece, Matthew Todd had the chance to win it for the visiting side. The midfielder stepped up and calmly slotted the ball into the bottom right hand corner sending the keeper the opposite away to give The Pars an extra valuable point on the road.