Livingston 1-3 Ross County

Saturday 7^th April 2012 – Livingston FC 1-3 Ross County FC

Having recorded fantastic back-to-back away wins at Falkirk and Partick, it was time to try and recreate that form at home as table toppers Ross County visited the Braidwood Motor Company Stadium.

John Hughes had to shuffle the pack slightly and welcomed Jason Talbot back to the team in place of Iain Russell who broke his hand in the win at Firhill. Talbot took to his usual left back position with Stefan Scougall pushing up into the midfield.

A win for Ross County coupled with Dundee dropping points at home to Falkirk would have crowned the Staggies champions so Hughes would have been ensuring his players were alert straight from kick-off in an attempt to spoil any potential title party.

Livi started the game brightly and created the opening chance. Scougall delivered an excellent free-kick to the back-post and after drifting away from his man, Kyle Jacobs rose highest to win the header but sent his effort narrowly over the bar.

Ex-Lion Colin McMenamin was gifted a great opportunity moments later when he dispossessed Craig Barr on the edge of the box but Callum Fordyce got back quickly enough to make the block before McMenamin got a shot away.

Another error along the Livi back-line then presented McMenamin with a second chance and this time, he made no mistake. Andy McNeil short goal-kick put Fordyce in a bit of trouble and he could only miskick his clearance as far as Richie Brittain. Brittain quickly controlled the ball and slipped a pass through the Livi defence to Michael Gardyne who held off the challenge of Fordyce and squared the ball to the unmarked McMenamin who headed into the empty net.

It was a quick and clinical finish from County who made the Livi defence pay for some slack passing. Up until that point though, the Lions had held strong and quickly went about trying to rectify the mistake and grab an equaliser.

A nasty injury to Jason Talbot meant a first-team debut for Connor McDonald and he was involved as the home side created an opportunity. Scougall’s pass sent McDonald scampering down the left wing and after getting the better of Brittain, he found Rory Boulding on the edge of the box but the in-form front man bent his 20 yard effort just wide of the post.

Into the second-half and Boulding didn’t have to wait long to have his next chance on goal. Two excellent tackles from Craig Barr seen the ball find its way to Bobby Barr on the right and first-time, he sprayed an excellent pass beyond the County backline into Boulding’s path. Despite the heavy presence of both Scott Boyd and Gary Miller, Boulding made no mistake, steadying himself before slipping his shot beyond the reach of Michael Fraser and into the corner of the net.

That goal was Boulding’s fifth in three games and seemed to give the whole team a lift as they started to put more pressure on Fraser’s goal. Bobby Barr’s short corner found Scougall on the edge of the box and he fired a shot just over the bar. Minutes later, a driving run from McNulty seen him stroll towards goal but his shot whistled wide of the post. Another corner, this time sent in by Scougall, again found Kyle Jacobs at the back-post and this time he hit the target with his header but Fraser was equal to it, palming the ball beyond the post.

Despite Livi dominating at this stage, County’s title credentials shone through as they steamed up the park and regained the lead. Paul Lawson collected Barr’s clearance on the edge of the box and sent a pass out wide to Brittain. The County captain looped a high cross to the back-post where McMenamin leaped high to beat McCann in the air and sent a header over McNeill and into the net.

It was a cruel blow for the Lions who had looked the likeliest to take the lead and they continued to attack the County goal, now in search of another equaliser. Kevin McCann found Boulding on the half way line after evading the challenge of Iain Vigurs; he drove forward, skipping by Grant Munro before firing a low shot just past Fraser’s far post. McCann’s throw-in deep in the County half again found Boulding who turned past Munro and Morrison before laying the ball off to Bobby Barr to fire goal wards but Fraser reacted brilliantly to tip the ball over from 8 or so yards.

Livi kept on pressing and McCann’s high ball into the box was flicked on by Craig Barr but Miller managed to block McNulty’s shot before Fraser thwarted Fordyce from getting on the end of the loose ball on the edge of the six-yard area. McCann was again involved as the Lions went close, this time flicking on Boulding’s cross into the path of Keaghan Jacobs who unleashed an excellent volley towards goal but couldn’t find the target as the ball flew past the post.

As we’ve seen so many times this season, not taking your chances can come back and haunt you and that was exactly the story here. A long ball forward from Miller sent McMenamin clear down the right and after twisting and turning past Fordyce, he fired the ball into the box and despite the best attempts of David Sinclair and Craig Barr, the ball fell kindly for Iain Vigurs to side foot home and seal the three points for the Dingwall side.

Free to view highlights, courtesy of LIVItv, are available here - http://www.livingstonfc.co.uk/livitv/rosscounty070412/livitv.php

Away Day Review - Firhill, Partick Thistle FC.

So, it’s been two away wins in a row and all of a sudden the away day review seems like a match happier piece in ‘ROAR’ – I was hoping it would stay this way come the end of the game.

Pre-match commitments meant I didn’t arrive to the ground until a bit later for this one but Partick were offering a decent deal in their ‘Aitken Suite’ before the game of a pie, beans and 2 beers for £3 – a cracking deal right there for those who were able to take them up on it.

’Firhill for thrills’ they say (whoever ‘they’ are?) so this one had a lot to live up to. We’re normally housed in the North stand behind the goals but this time round, we were given the North end of the Jackie Husband Stand. A welcome change personally given my preference for a side on view.

A bit of an increase in admission fee at £17 but given it was another ground with no pillars blocking the view or seats falling apart when you sat down added with the side on view meant I was more willing to pay it the extra here than some other places. Under 16’s were granted access for free, which was a welcome bonus for many parents.

The sun was out in force for this one so opted for a pie and juice this week. No thrills on the pie front but it wasn’t stuck to the tin and didn’t crack your teeth with every bite, it did lack much of a taste though. Brown sauce to the rescue…

As mentioned, our view was better than other grounds although given we were right at the far end of the stand, it did mean that we had that horrible experience of never knowing what way the ball was heading when it was in the air down the other end. We did get a decent view of 3 of the 5 goals though so that helped make up for it. The pitch itself was in poor nick given there had been a rugby match played on it the night before but that did infact work in our favour, contributing to our first goal so no complaints on that front…

An attendance of just under 2,000 was announced but even given that everyone was housed in the same stand, there did seem to be a lack of any real atmosphere. Even with what appeared to be an improved away contingent. I would have expected a bit more of a ‘feeling’. There was, of course, more of a ‘noising up’ offered when both teams scored with supporters being right next to each other but it was nothing more than friendly banter – easy to say when you’re team wins in that situation though!

So there we are, three away wins on the bounce with a midweek trip to Starks Park next on the cards.

Access – 7/10
Admission – 7/10
Pie and Drink – 6/10
Stadium/View – 7/10
Atmosphere – 4/10

Overall – 31/50

Falkirk 2-5 Livingston

Saturday 24^th March 2012 – Falkirk FC 2-5 Livingston FC

After the disappointment of the Hamilton result, a trip to the Falkirk Stadium was next on the list – somewhere all to familiar to John Hughes. Given our last match there, a rollercoaster in which we narrowly went down 4-3, not many would have expected another seven goal thriller…

Hughes’s preparation for the game was dealt a blow with both Jason Talbot and Craig Barr missing through suspension and Paul Watson dropping out with injury. This meant the team had to be reshuffled, resulting in Rory Boulding, Ross Docherty and Callum Fordyce all coming back into the starting line-up. There was also a welcome return to the substitutes bench for David Sinclair who had been out with injury since our 2-2 draw with Queen of the South back in January.

Our defence took an unusual shape with trialist Kevin McCann joining Fordyce in the middle of the back four with playmaker Stefan Scougall slotting in at left back and Ross Docherty at right back.

The opening period didn’t do much to calm the nerves of the travelling support as Falkirk went to work on breaking down the makeshift defence. An early corner into the box was met by Bairns danger man Farid El Alagui but his header cannoned off the cross bar and away to safety. Minutes later, a free-kick was again met by the head of El Alagui but this time Andy McNeil got down to make the save before McCann cleared the ball.

It was to be third time lucky for the big striker though as he eventually opened the scoring. A long kick forward was eventually flicked beyond the Livi defence and as McNeil rushed out to make the block, El Alagui got there first, dinking the ball over the stranded ‘keeper.

Having never won a game this season after falling behind, the Livi faithful may have feared a win was now a lost cause. However, with Livi’s first attack after conceding, it was all-square. A brilliant piece of passing play from back to front sent McNulty scurrying down the wing and when his cut back found Rory Boulding 12 yard from goal, the striker made no mistake, evading the challenge of Wallace and firing across the ‘keeper and into the net.

With momentum behind them, the Lions pushed on and Marc McNulty came close with a 15 yard effort that Bowman pushed wide. With halftime approaching however, Livi did snatch the lead. A brilliant pass from Bobby Barr found Scougall in behind the Falkirk backline and he teed up Boulding who, with an almost identical finish to his first goal, beat Bowman with a shot across goal and put the away side a goal up.

Into the second-half and Falkirk came flying out of the traps, trying to grab an early equaliser. McNeil made an excellent save from a long-range Mark Millar effort before El Alagui missed a glorious chance, heading over from 6 yards when it seemed easier to score.

The Livi back-line stood firm though and with just over 70 minutes played, it was 3-1. An excellent run to the by-line from Keaghan Jacobs ended with the midfield man pulling the ball back and when there was no block made by any Falkirk defenders, Bobby Barr was on hand to roll the ball in at the back post.

Livi were flying at this point and only three minutes later, a chance to make it four came calling. Scougall’s corner was flicked on by Kyle Jacobs but the ball came off Tam Scobbie’s hand and the referee pointed to the spot. Iain Russell won the argument with Boulding for penalty duties and made no mistake, sending Bowman the wrong way to increase the lead.

Falkirk refused to give up though and after some good work from El Alagui down the left, he found David Weatherston in the middle and the defender turned the ball past McNeil to offer some hope of a come-back.

That hope was erased with six minutes left to play though after Bobby Barr went on a brilliant run forward, beating two men before playing a one-two with Boulding and rolling the ball home in similar fashion to his first goal.

Free to view highlights, courtesy of LIVItv, are available here - http://www.livingstonfc.co.uk/livitv.php

Away Day Review – The Falkirk Stadium, Falkirk FC.

So finally, after our Greenock trip provided the first three away points of the year, I was a little more optimistic for this one – although, given the hammering we took at home to Hamilton last time out, I really mean ‘a little’.

Early commitments meant I was in the area a good couple of hours before kick-off so it was Sportsters Sports Bar for the usual pre-match pint before heading to the ground. A steep £4 car parking charge was the first thing we encountered at the Falkirk Stadium. Given the numerous free parking areas all around the ground, I think Falkirk will find people avoiding paying that on most occasions.

The Falkirk Stadium is nice on the eye. A very attractive main stand, highly resembling Hampden does look good on approach. We were in the away stand behind the goals though and the common £15 entrance fee was paid. It was much to my delight that this time, the £15 wasn’t grudged at all. There was no big pillar blocking your view, the seats were fit for purpose and you didn’t scrape your shins open on the seat in front every time you moved.

Back to the basics in terms of food this week with a pie and tea hitting the spot. Again, no complaints on either front. Pie wasn’t burnt, had plenty of filling, didn’t fall apart after the first bite and tasted pretty good. Albeit, these are all things you expect whenever you buy a pie but as you’ll have read here, the food experiences aren’t always what you’d hope for around the grounds.

Our view of the game was fine. I’m not a great fan of sitting behind the goals, but as mentioned it was nice to take the game in with no obstacles to avoid. The fact that we got three of the five Livi goals up or end too made the view even better!

The Falkirk Stadium scores highly on the atmosphere front too. When Falkirk took the lead, you got a real sense of the delight from the home fans given the high noise level that echoed across to us. Likewise, when we grabbed our goals, it felt there were a lot more in the away end than actually was. A rendition of a certain chant by Livi fans in honour of Falkirk manager Steven Pressley sounded brilliant both at the time and on the highlights package - even better was the clear as day ‘we want six’ calls as the game drew to a close.

Overall, there wasn’t much that the Falkirk Stadium let us down with – a good view, decent food, a brilliant atmosphere, five Livi goals and three points – they’re far too kind to us!

Access – 6/10
Admission – 7/10
Pie and Drink – 8/10
Stadium/View – 8/10
Atmosphere – 9/10

Overall – 38/50

Livingston 0-4 Hamilton

Saturday 17^th March 2012 – Livingston FC 0-4 Hamilton Academical FC

With a well deserved win recorded at Cappielow the week before, it was back to home soil for the Lions as Hamilton visited the Braidwood Motor Company Stadium.

John Hughes opted to make one change to that winning line-up with Michael Scott dropping out to make way for the fit again Stefan Scougall.

Hughes would have been hoping the players would pick up from where they left off against Morton and take the game to the Accies but that hope would be dashed with only three minutes on the clock. Martin Canning’s long free-kick forward wasn’t dealt with by the Livi defence and on-loan striker Jon McShane was able to collect the ball and fire low past McNeil.

It was exactly the start you don’t want and things didn’t get much better. Jason Talbot collected the ball at left back and as he drove forward, his final touch ran away from him and with Alex Neil sliding in to make the block, Talbot lunged in, catching Neil with both feet. Referee Stevie O’Reilly was placed right in front of the tackle and had no hesitation in issuing a red card.

To make matters even worse, only 90 seconds after Talbot left the game, Hamilton doubled their advantage. Simon Mensing found Neil in the middle of the park and the Accies captain played a brilliant ball over the Livi defence for Daniel Redmond to control on his chest and rifle past McNeil for 2-0.

Two goals behind and down to ten men with only fifteen minutes played, a long afternoon lay ahead. If that wasn’t bad enough, a third Hamilton goal was to show that even luck wasn’t on our side. Jon Routledge collected the ball in the midfield and drove forward before curling a shot goal wards from 25 yards. The shot looked harmless but as McNeil got down to make the save, the ball took a horrendous bobble and looped up and over the despairing ‘keeper and nestled in the net.

It could have been four before half time after a brilliant ball from Andrew Ryan found McShane free in the box but his first touch let him down and he fired straight at McNeil from a tight angle.

Into the second half and to give credit where it’s due, Livi continued to battle on, desperately hoping that they could somehow haul themselves back into the game.

Kevin McCann and Keaghan Jacobs linked up with the latter sending Iain Russell through on goal but he shot straight at David Hutton in the Accies goal before Mark McLaughlin blocked Rory Boulding from latching onto the rebound.

Up the other end, Hamilton continued to press for more goals and substitute Mark Stewart was desperately unlucky not to get on the score sheet. A good run from Greig Spence was followed by a cross into the box which Stewart headed goal wards but McNeil somehow managed to make a diving save, tipping the ball onto the bar before Kyle Jacobs cleared to safety.

Despite that save, Hamilton did put the gloss on the win and grabbed a fourth goal as the game neared an end. Routledge went on another tricky run from the right, evading challenges from Kyle, Keaghan and Paul Watson before thumping a shot from 20 yards beyond McNeil.

Free to view match highlights, courtesy of LIVItv, available here - http://www.livingstonfc.co.uk/livitv.php

Away Day Review - Cappielow Park, Greenock Morton FC.

I won’t lie, I was close to giving up on this away day review column as it was beginning to look like a bit of a jinx – 3 reviews, 3 defeats. I’d decided that a defeat at Cappielow would put the kybosh on the idea – the fact you’re reading this now though is a good sign!

So, a trip to Greenock isn’t exactly the highlight of the fixture calendar but given the fact Morton were on the end of a 5-0 defeat the week earlier, I was optimistic that we had what was needed to go there and get a result.

We got off the bus right at the ground and jumped into the nearest public house for a swift pre-match beverage. A quick look around the surrounding area and I think there’s a high chance that when pop-star Rihanna sang those lyrics ‘We found love in a hopeless place’, she was hinting that she’d met a boy from Greenock.

Anyway, drink finished and into the ground I went. Just like Somerset Park, I was faced with a £15 admission price for a poor excuse of a seating area. The first seat I attempted to sit in was broken and had come loose from the metal structure it had been screwed in to. When I did get a seat that was fit for purpose, I quickly realised I was in for an uncomfortable afternoon. The seats in front of you are far too close for anyone of 6ft plus meaning that every time I moved, my shins scraped along the backrest.

Sore shins aside, the great big pillars right in front (a la Dens Park) meant that you needed to constantly dodge in your seat every time the action moved to that area. It must have just been my bad luck that there seemed to be a lot of play happening directly behind the damned things.

Half time arrived and for the first-time in 2012, Livi were leading – so I thought I’d celebrate the moment with a cheeseburger rather than a pie. It provided me with everything I’d expect from a cheeseburger, y’know, a bun, cheese and a burger all of which tasted pretty good so on those grounds, pass marks there. The flat, fizzy juice wasn’t so good but you can’t expect everything.

Even despite the Lions going on to close out the win, there wasn’t much of an atmosphere. Infact, the most obvious noise of the day came from the collective boos of the home support towards their own goalkeeper. Given the small attendance, I guess a great atmosphere was never really on the cards but I do suspect when the place has more bums on seats, the shed like stands would stir up a decent bit of noise.

So, finally, an away day review that ended in a Livi victory! Next up, The Falkirk Stadium – same again please boys.
Access – 7/10
Admission – 5/10
Pie and Drink – 7/10
Stadium/View – 3/10
Atmosphere – 4/10

Overall – 26/50

Morton 1-3 Livingston

Saturday 10^th March 2012 – Greenock Morton FC 1-3 Livingston FC

A trip Cappielow was up next as the Lions looked to bounce back from the midweek defeat to Ayr with a first away victory of 2012.

John Hughes made three changes to his starting line-up. Injuries to Liam Fox and Stefan Scougall meant Iain Russell joined debutant Michael Scott in the first eleven alongside trialist Kevin McCann who was preferred at right back ahead of Ross Docherty.

Livi started brightly and the combination of McCann and Scott on the right looked dangerous from the off. The pair linked up excellently on the wing with Scott wriggling free into the middle and firing a shot goal wards that forced ex-Livi ‘keeper Colin Stewart into an excellent save.

Moments later though, Stewart didn’t cover himself in glory as the Lions took a fifth minute lead. Bobby Barr breezed past the challenge of Andrew Graham before pinging a pass into the path of Marc McNulty. As the young striker collected the ball, Stewart came out to narrow the angle but appeared to lose his footing, allowing McNulty to skip round him and pass the ball into the empty net for his 15^th goal in all competitions this season.

Stewart was nearly at fault again as the Lions passed up a great opportunity for a quick second. A poor pass back from David O’Brien forced Stewart to race off his line again and this time Iain Russell got there before him but by the time he found Scott on the edge of the area, the Morton defence had got back and Peter Weatherson blocked the shot before Graham cleared.

The Lions were looking comfortable but much like the way the game went at Somerset Park a few weeks back, with only the one goal scored, Morton were still very much in the game. A corner kick was only half cleared by Keaghan Jacobs and when Paul Di Giacomo delivered another cross into the box, Peter MacDonald rose highest at the back post to nod in the equaliser.

It was a cruel blow for Livi who’d dominated the game up until now but with the equaliser behind them, Morton came forward more with Andrew Jackson seeing a shot deflect over the bar then Andy McNeill pulled off a brilliant save from MacDonald’s free kick.

However, the difference this time than from the previously mentioned Ayr game was that the Lions didn’t allow Morton time to properly settle into the match and went straight back on the hunt to regain the lead.

Iain Russell, starting his first match since the end of January, was relishing playing just behind McNulty and nearly grabbed a goal from a low, 30-yard strike but Stewart got down well to turn the ball behind. Stewart wasn’t to deny Russell with his next effort though as Livi restored the one goal advantage. An excellent pass from Scott sent McCann free down the right and he drove a wicked cross along the face of goal where Russell slid in to poke the ball past Stewart at his front post. Russell’s delight was clear for all to see with last season top-goalscorer having not netted since October last year.

Livi took the 2-1 lead into half time and after the players re-emerged for the second half, the small group of travelling fans only had to wait six minutes to celebrate the lead being extended. Bobby Barr’s corner was punched clear by Stewart but Jason Talbot got the ball under control and sent a cross back into the box where Craig Barr wrestled off the challenge of his marker to head the ball into the net.

That goal eased the pressure for the Lions and they began to play some free-flowing football. Talbot and Barr were causing havoc down the left hand side and twice combined to present Iain Russell and substitute Andy Russell with chances but Stewart made two good saves to prevent any further damage.

Jason Talbot then really should have put the game beyond doubt when he was gifted an opportunity from Stewart’s parried save but with the goal gaping, the left back somehow managed to rifle the ball high over the bar.

Morton did venture forward as time started to run out and Andy McNeil was twice needed to make top saves and keep the score at 3-1. O’Brien went on a mazy run, ghosting past Andy Russell, Kyle Jacobs and Keaghan Jacobs before hammering a shot at the top corner but McNeil pulled off a stunning one-hand save to push the ball out for a corner. Moments later, Fouad Bachirou played in Archie Campbell who fired goal wards but again, McNeil was equal to the shot and tipped the ball wide.

John Hughes brought on Ross Docherty into the midfield despite the youngster having played all his first-team football at right back and straight away he got stuck in, setting up a Livi attack. After dispossessing MacDonald, ‘Doc’ played the ball wide to Iain Russell who spearheaded a three on one Livi counter-attack. However, with a goal to his name already and confidence obviously running high, Russell opted to shoot and Stewart made the save when a pass to Andy Russell would have almost certainly seen a fourth Livi goal.

As the game drew to a close, Bobby Barr had one last chance to get on the score-sheet but he sent his shot over the bar from just outside the area meaning the Lions settled for a 3-1 victory and a first win on the road in 2012.

Free to view highlights courtesy of LIVItv are available here - http://www.livingstonfc.co.uk/livitv.php