TAKE IT TO THE MAX
PENALTY hero Max Stryjek revealed he ditched his homework and followed his instincts to send Livingston into the last eight of the Premier Sports Cup.
The keeper put a tough week behind him after his last gasp howler cost Livi against Aberdeen six days earlier to make two stunning saves in the shoot out victory over St Mirren.
Stryjek threw himself to his right to deny Cammy MacPherson before going low to his left to divert Kyle McAllister’s effort onto the woodwork and secure a 4-3 spot-kick victory after the 120 minutes ended 1-1.
But his heroics had little to do with the research the Livi goalkeeping department had done on the Buddies’ penalty takers.
Stryjek said: “I had a sheet of paper with who would be taking their penalties and where he would put them, but I didn’t look at it. I just went with my gut.
“I just decided whether I was going left or right on each penalty taker. It was worth it. It was instinct.
“The best one was the last one. I don’t know how it’s possible to dive low and for the ball to bounce up onto the crossbar and then back into my hands. I don’ know how that happened!
“That was probably the most important thing.
“I love penalty saves. I was just happy that I could help the team get into the quarter-final because my goal was to prove to myself that I’m a good goalkeeper.
“Everyone says you are always judged on your last game and hopefully that was a good performance for me and for the team in general.”
Stryjek revealed he couldn’t even speak to his girlfriend after last week’s 94th minute blooper in the 2-1 defeat to the Dons.
But he responded in the best way possible.
Long before his penalty heroics the 25-year-old had repaid David Martindale’s faith in him with two fine first-half saves to deny Greg
Kiltie and Eamonn Brophy. Now he’s hoping for a repeat of last year’s run to the final.
He said: “At that game, for two hours, I didn’t even talk to my girlfriend at home. I felt that everyone makes mistakes, you just have to learn from them and then put it behind you.
“And then go and prove to yourself and everyone that you are worth something.
“The boys were fantastic. You can see our team has a good spirit and everyone supports each other. Even if you make a mistake. We pull together and that helps.
“I’m happy that we have a chance to make history – we can get to the semi-final again, which would be great.”
Alan Forrest fired Livi ahead in 40 minutes, latching onto Scott Pittman’s pass and cutting inside Marcus Fraser to bend a shot beyond the reach of Jak Alnwick.
But the Buddies levelled with eight minutes to go when Scott Tanser’s free kick caught the Livi defence flat footed and Conor McCarthy ghosted in to net.
Curtis Main had the ball in the net two minutes later but celebrations were halted by an offside flag.
Livingston were adamant they’d won it in the second period of extra time when Nicky Devlin followed up an Ayo Obileye header which rattled the post. Alnwick got down to Devlin’s effort but Livi protested that the ball had crossed the line.
Ref David Munro waved it off and the game headed to spot-kicks where Andrew Shinnie, Sean Kelly, Ayo Obileye and Jason Holt netted for Livi. Keghan Jacobs and Craig Sibbald missed their penalties.
Jamie McGrath, Joe Shaughnessy and Lee Erwin netted for Saints but Main shot wide before MacPherson and McAllister were denied by Stryjek.