Lewis Jamieson celebrates after scoring against Ayr UnitedSNS

Lewis Jamieson opened his Raith Rovers account as Ayr United stumbled amid wintery conditions in Kirkcaldy.

Scott Brown’s side could have moved into second in the Championship as they continue to chase league leaders Falkirk.

But Neill Collins saw his side build on their midweek victory over Airdrie, courtesy of a virtuoso performance by veteran Lewis Stevenson, to claim their first back-to-back league wins this season.

Jamieson turned home the opener after 20 minutes, stroking home from close range after Stevenson’s laid off a neat ball to Dylan Easton, whose stunning volley was palmed away by Ayr keeper Liam Russell into the path of Jamieson.

The striker, on loan from St Mirren, claimed his second just before the break after Stevenson flashed a well-placed ball across the penalty box right into Jamieson’s feet for the 22-year-old to volley home.

Ayr had a shout for a goal sandwiched in between, Mark McKenzie heading home from a knocked-on corner, but the whistle had already blown after referee Lloyd Wilson awarded Raith a free kick for a tussle at the edge of the box.

But Raith continued to keep the pressure on the visitors in the second half, with Stevenson once again delivering a high-quality ball into the path of Jamieson as the forward bore down on goal, but his touch let him down and enabled teenager Russell to claim the ball.

Brown cut an increasingly frustrated figure on the touchline as his side struggled against both Raith’s back line and the prevailing conditions.

But it was Raith’s resolute showing, and Stevenson’s stand-out performance, that secured victory to move the Starks Park side up to sixth in the table.

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