Gregory Tade was on target as First Division Raith Rovers claimed the scalp of Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup.
First division side come out tops at Pittodrie
Gregory Tade was on target as First Division Raith Rovers claimed the scalp of SPL outfit Aberdeen in their Active Nation Scottish Cup fifth-round replay at Pittodrie.
A hard-fought encounter was decided in the 58th minute when Allan Walker waltzed past Jerel Ifil's weak challenge to square for Tade to score.
Jamie Langfield had earlier prevented the Stark's Park side taking the lead in the first half when he tipped Darren Smith's drive onto the post.
Mark McGhee's side, who looked sluggish after their weekend exertions in drawing 4-4 with Celtic, had no reply to Tade's strike and once again exited the competition to lower-league opposition.
Gary McDonald had scored in the fifth minute of injury-time at Stark's Park 10 days ago to earn his side a replay, but there would be no comeback on this occasion and it will be Raith who face Dundee at Dens Park in the quarter-finals.
Aberdeen made one change with defender Ifil replacing Charlie Mulgrew who missed out through illness.
Raith were without skipper Mark Campbell as a result of the injuries he sustained in a car accident on Monday, but former Hearts player Stephen Simmons and Tade returned from league suspensions.
But the visitors were dealt a blow before the match started when Douglas Hill limped out of the warm-up and had to be replaced by Robert Sloan - meaning they were forced to start with only four players on the bench.
Makeshift
With Hill and Campbell absent, Simmons was deployed as a makeshift central defender for the Kirkcaldy side.
The Dons looked to test the Raith rearguard early on with Steven MacLean's volley well saved by David McGurn in the fifth minute.
After a jittery start, Raith settled and began to enjoy more of the play, although the poor Pittodrie surface helped neither side maintain possession for any length of time.
Raith had to make an early change after 25 minutes when Johnny Russell picked up an injury following a tackle with Darren Mackie and was replaced by Darren Smith.
The home side continued to create the better openings with Zander Diamond's header from Michael Paton's cross easily gathered by McGurn in the Raith goal after 27 minutes.
With dead-ball expert Mulgrew missing, Sone Aluko assumed Aberdeen's free-kick responsibilities but the Nigeria international failed to test the Raith defence from a number of promising positions.
The home side had a major let-off after 33 minutes when Jamie Langfield did magnificently to tip Darren Smith's left-footed drive against the post.
An inviting cross from Mark Kerr gave Mackie a sight of goal just before the break but the Aberdeen forward headed wide.
Second period
Aberdeen made a change at the interval with Derek Young coming on for Diamond.
Every challenge was being keenly contested with Tade given the first caution of the match after 55 minutes for a late challenge on Jim Paterson.
But it was the Frenchman who broke the deadlock three minutes later when Walker skipped past Ifil before squaring for him to score from three yards.
Raith's stand-in skipper Grant Murray was booked for a tug on Paton after 67 minutes before Young fired a powerful shot just wide as the Dons searched for an equaliser.
Rovers brought on Graham Weir for the tiring Kevin Smith after 75 minutes as the First Division side looked to preserve their lead.
Desperation began to replace inspiration for the hosts as Paterson lashed the ball harmlessly over the bar after 78 minutes.
Aberdeen threw everything at Rovers in the closing stages but John McGlynn's men held on to the delight of the travelling support.
