Gutsy Livingston pushed Over the line by Robinson
Martindale’s Lions fight tooth and claw to set up final against St Johnstone
DAVID Martindale faces what promises to be a stressful encounter with the Hampden high heid yins tomorrow.
The Livingston manager, who served a prison sentence for drug trafficking and money laundering in a previous life, is hoping to be deemed a “fit and proper” person by the SFA and have his appointment officially ratified.
The delayed hearing, though, probably won’t be as nerveracking an experience for Martindale as the Betfred Cup semi-final with St Mirren at the national stadium yesterday.
His side, who had taken an early lead through Scott Robinson, had to withstand relentless second-half pressure from their opponents and survived a few serious scares, as well as five excruciating minutes of injury time, before the final whistle blew.
The narrow victory secured a place in the final against St Johnstone on February 28 for the 2004 winners and also stretched their unbeaten run under their new head coach to 11 games. But it was a backs-to-thewall performance and then some.
Still, what Livingston lack in guile and finesse they make up for in sprit and endeavour. Those qualities proved enough to get them through. They could ensure they lift the first piece of silverware of the 2020/21 campaign.
“There is a lot of ability in that team,” said Martindale afterwards. “But what you have is good, honest professionals. As soon as they cross that white line, they leave everything on the park. And that’s all we can ask as coaches.
“It was a nervy game. I thought we never got the chance to get the ball down and play much. But they are a fantastic group of individuals who carry out their job to the letter.”
Livingston got off to the best possible start when they took the lead in the 10th minute. Josh Mullin floated a free-kick into the St Mirren area from wide on the left and Robinson, one of the smallest men on the park, rose and nodded it on.
Efe Ambrose charged forward and aimed a powerful header at goal. His attempt ricocheted back off the crossbar. But Robinson was perfectly positioned to turn the rebound past Jak Alnwick and into the net.
Taking the lead at that stage in the game caused the West Lothian club to sit back and protect their lead. Their Paisley rivals certainly looked far likelier to score thereafter.
Brandon Mason did well to win possession just outside the Livingston penalty box in the 36th minute. However, the ball spun away from the Coventry City loanee as he bore down on goal and goalkeeper Max Stryjek dived on the ball and averted the danger.
Dylan Connolly had Eamonn Brophy in space inside him as he broke down the right five minutes before half-time. However, his pass finished behind his team mate and Ambrose intercepted.
St Mirren had a claim for a penalty ignored by referee David Munro and his assistants in the first half when Nicky Devlin caught the heel of Joe Shaughnessy after he had cleared the ball to safety.
“I got a touch on the ball and he’s volleyed my foot,” said Shaughnessy later. “The referee had a decision to make and he decided it wasn’t. Whether he missed the foul or not I don’t know, but at the time I thought it was a penalty.”
Livingston’s commitment and work rate are impossible to question. They have been one of the form teams in the country in the past couple of months since Martindale took charge. But they created little if anything from open play yesterday.
One of the rare occasions they did came five minutes into the second-half. Devlin broke down the left and spotted right back Devlin unmarked. His cross found its intended target.
But the defender was unable to control his shot and fired high and wide.
That near things produced an immediate response. St Mirren went up the park and won a corner. Jamie McGrath picked out Conor McCarthy and the Irishman directed a header towards the top right corner. He was unfortunate that Craig Sibbald was well positioned on his goal line.
It was all St Mirren after that. Jonathan Obika came on for Cammy MacPherson and added energy and skill to his side’s attacking endeavours. But he was yellow carded for diving by the match official after going to ground as he vied for the ball with Julien Serrano.
Shaughnessy almost levelled when he got a head to a McGrath corner with just three minutes of regulation time remaining despite the close attentions of several
Livingston players. His bravery typified the display of his side. But his effort flew just past the right post.
“We’re bitterly disappointed with the outcome obviously,” said St Mirren manager Jim Goodwin “I thought we put a lot into the game.
We had plenty of the possession, we threw absolutely everything at Livingston, we had a couple of half-decent opportunities.
“I asked the players before the game to have absolutely no regrets when they come back into the dressing room regardless of what way the result goes, to be able to look each other in the eye after it and be able to say they gave it there all.
“I don’t think there was anybody who watched that game who couldn’t say the boys gave it everything. Unfortunately, they just fell a bit short.”