Lewis Vaughan testimonial: Long-serving Raith Rovers striker says it 'meant everything' to get benefit game against his boyhood heroes Hibernian

Striker Vaughan, 28, played 82 minutes of the match in Kirkcaldy – which Nick Montgomery’s visitors won 5-1 – before receiving a standing ovation as he was replaced by Rovers assistant boss Colin Cameron, who came on as a late substitute along with Stark’s Park gaffer Ian Murray, a former Hibernian player.

When asked what the overall night had meant to him, the man who has scored 83 Raith goals in 238 first team appearances since 2012 while battling back from four devastating ACL knee injuries told Hibs TV: “It meant everything to be honest with you.

“I’ve obviously been at Raith Rovers for the best part of 13-and-a-half years now so I’ve been here since I was a kid, as long as I can remember.

"I had to get rid of the Hibs season ticket when I signed my professional contract at Raith Rovers.

"Hibs was obviously the team that I wanted to play against.

"I’ve had to wait a wee while to get it organised but thankfully the committee got it organised and managed to pull Hibs through.

"A massive thanks to Hibs for coming through and thanks to Hibs fans for coming here tonight, the manager and all the players, it’s much appreciated.

"Playing against Lewis Stevenson and Paul Hanlon, players that I used to watch at Easter Road every week alongside Raith Rovers manager Ian Murray.

"I still watch Hibs when I can so it’s a privilege to have them over here tonight.

"To be honoured with a testimonial by Raith Rovers was a dream come true and to play Hibs just topped it off.”

As for the game itself, it got underway after both sets of players had provided a guard of honour to welcome Vaughan onto the field and he was gratefully received by his adoring public.

The opening half hour saw the game’s main man twice come close to breaking the deadlock, firstly hitting the bar with a shot before away goalkeeper Murray Johnson got a hand to a second effort.

But it was Hibs who scored first when the aforementioned Stevenson – one of Vaughan’s Hibees favourites – fired in a fantastic shot from distance and it remained 0-1 at half-time.

Rovers had a nightmare start to the second half, with Jair Tavares and a Reuben McAllister free-kick putting the Edinburgh side three goals up after 56 minutes.

It was 0-4 when Hanlon headed in from a corner, before Raith scored what was to prove their only goal of the evening when Callum Smith cut into the box and slotted into the corner.

Josh McDonald added a fifth Hibernian goal on 76 minutes, but the final scoreline almost seemed an irrelevance as the fans again paid homage to Vaughan who happily conducted on pitch interviews and went into the crowd to sign autographs.

The player recently signed a Raith contract extension to May 31, 2026, so he will have ample more opportunities to add to his considerable legacy at Stark’s Park.

Raith Rovers: Dabrowski, Watson, Vaughan, Smith, Corr, Hamilton, Byrne, Easton, McGill, Hannah, Masson.

Subs: McNeil, Thomson, Connolly, Matthews, Stanton, Turner, Brown, Arnott, Rudden, Nicholson, Cameron, Murray.

Hibernian: Johnson, Blaney, Hanlon, Fish, Mayenda, Hamilton, Cleland, Jair, McAllister, Stevenson, Zaid.

Subs: Owens, Calder, McGrath, McDonald, Bulloch, McGarva, Wright, Bruce, Smith.

Referee: Daniel Graves

Crowd: 2,240​