LIVVY IN DRIVING SEAT!
Pittman shoots down dad’s old team to put Hopkin’s heroes within touching distance of a return to the Premiership
THERE was plenty of food for thought for dejected Partick Thistle fans last night after a familiar name returned to haunt them at the Tony Macaroni Arena.
Brought up watching his dad, Steve, play full-back at Firhill in the 1990s, Livingston midfielder Scott Pittman grabbed the all-important winning goal 16 minutes from time.
His close-range finish proved the clincher in a 2-1 win after Thistle’s Kris Doolan and Keaghan Jacobs had earlier traded first-half goals in this Premiership play-off first leg.
But the fact the killer blow came from a man with a familiar surname was the least of the away fans’ worries after watching their side deservedly turned over by David Hopkin’s impressive Lions.
Hunting in packs, gnashing their teeth and harrying their supposedly superior opponents out of their stride at every turn, the Championship’s surprise package this season lived up superbly to their nickname.
History may be on Thistle’s side, with Hamilton Accies the only second-tier team to win promotion in the play-offs since they were reintroduced.
But, after this showing, Alan Archibald’s side’s grip on their Premiership status looks precarious indeed ahead of Sunday’s second leg in Maryhill.
Hopkin had made two changes to the side who drew 1-1 against Dundee United here last Friday night to progress to the final 4-3 on aggregate.
Out went Rafa de Vita and Josh Mullin and in came Scott Robinson and Jordan Thompson.
The loss of the talismanic De Vita through injury was particularly cruel on a club with a small squad. Especially after they had previously lost Ryan Hardie to a foot injury.
SO stretched were Livvy, in fact, that Hopkin could only put six men on his bench for their biggest game of the season. Archibald had spent the week wrestling with the Doolan dilemma. Should he play the tried and trusted predator with 114 goals in 360 games for Thistle?
Or should he go with the raw power and pace of Conor Sammon? Eventually, in a statement of intent, he opted for both in a 4-4-2 formation. Initially, it would pay off.
Doolan’s inclusion meant striker Miles Storey dropped to the bench alongside Christie Elliott, with Callum Booth coming in at left-back.
On an evening when the sun was still splitting the West Lothian sky, Livvy were first to turn up the heat on their Premiership visitors.
A Jacobs delivery made its way to Declan Gallagher. He nodded the ball back across goal but there were no takers for Livingston.
Seconds later, Hopkin’s men were behind.
Booth sent over a wonderful deep cross which allowed Doolan to show his arch predatory skills, staying the blind side of Alan Lithgow before dispatching a cool and clinical header past Neil Alexander.
In finding a quickfire leveller, Livingston showed the character and class that saw them finish second in the Championship behind St Mirren.
Lithgow’s ball upfield was headed down by Lee Miller to Robinson. He fed Thompson who, in turn, set up Jacobs in space. His angled drive found its way past Tomas Cerny but the Thistle keeper was hugely at fault.
Jacobs couldn’t care less as he celebrated his second goal of the season. His first was also an equaliser against Thistle in a Betfred Cup game here in July which Hopkin’s side went on to win 3-1 on penalties.
Thompson could have put the home side in front when he latched on to another Miller knockdown before sending a fierce drive skidding narrowly wide of Cerny’s right-hand post.
There was another let off for Thistle when referee Craig Thomson missed Danny Devine’s foul on Thompson at the edge of the box as he burst clear on goal.
The best Archibald’s men could muster was a Martin Woods free-kick that dipped over the crossbar, albeit keeper Alexander had it covered.
After the break, Devine was fortunate to escape with only a booking for a studs-up challenge on Jackson Longridge.
Livingston’s players have been doing prehab, triple sessions and ice baths to fuel their promotion bid.
And, as the game wore on, they showed no signs of flagging. Robinson summed up their spirit as he made a fine driving run in behind the Thistle defence.
Eager to atone for his earlier error, Cerny rushed out to make an important diving block.
Livvy threw on Mullin for Thompson and Thistle brought on Blair Spittal for Steven Lawless as both sides looked for a winner.
While there were high balls and headed clearances aplenty, chances were few and far between.
But that changed as Livvy took a dramatic lead. As Ryan Edwards and Adam Barton dithered, Mullin reached the goal-line and sent over a terrific delivery from the right.
Pittman raced on to it and fired high into the net as One Step
Beyond by Madness blared out across the stadium amid chaotic scenes of celebration from the Livvy fans.
By contrast, the full-time whistle witnessed loud jeers towards Archibald and his players from the fearful travelling Thistle fans.
The blast of Thomson’s whistle also spelled the end for the grass at the Tony Macaroni Arena.
On Monday, it will be ripped up and an artificial surface installed.
Whether it will host Premiership football for the first time in 12 years or Championship football once more next season remains to be seen. But if top-flight football is here next season, Hopkin will have presided over a minor miracle.
As for Firhill, ahead of what promises to be a fraught second leg on Sunday, perhaps the old ground should temporarily be named the Nervous Energy Check Stadium for the day. What a tense affair it promises to be.