Winning ugly a thing of beauty at this place
Goodwin delighted to dine out on gritty win at Tony Macaroni
Jim Goodwin insists artistic impression counts for nothing as Saints claimed the points with a gritty display to make it five games without defeat.
The Buddies boss revealed his prematch pitch to his players was to win at all costs and a first-half strike from Ethan Erhahon bagged the points.
Goodwin admits the end justifies the means despite it being far from easy on the eye. He said: “It’s very rare that you see an attractive and entertaining game of football here.
“Some of that is down to the pitch and the way that Livingston get stuck in. You need to give them credit for that but any side in the Premiership would come here and take a 1- 0 win all day long.
“We’d obviously have loved to have played a bit more possession- based football and try to dominate the game that way. But I said to the boys before a ball was kicked I didn’t care how we got the result today just as long as we came away with all three points.
“Putting together back- to- back victories was the most important thing and we managed to grind out the result.
“We’ve a bit of consistency now and have played better than we’ve shown today. We stood up to everything Livingston had to throw at us and they’ll feel unlucky not to have taken a point.”
A superb through bal l by Jamie
McGrath set Matt Millar on the race with Max Stryjek and the Livi keeper able to gather. But it was sign in the 17th minute that Saints were slowly gaining a greater authority on proceedings.
Four minutes later Stephane Omeonga found Odin Bailey who cut inside and his low effort from 18-yards was beaten to safety by Buddies keeper Jak Alnwick.
The goal arrived in the 29th minute. The home side conceded possession from their own corner and Connor Ronan bbrokek beforebf slidinglidi a pass wideid to Erhahon. His shot should have been held by Stryjek but the goalie allowed the strike to go under him and into the net.
It should have been all square moments later when James Penrice went one on one with Alnwick but his attempt was brilliantly blocked by the keeper.
The half ended with Ayo Obileye’s thunderbolt from a corner somehow being deflected wide by McGrath as the Buddies rode their luck.
Moments after the restart Livi were again denied by Alnwick as he parried a shot from Jackson Longridge wide.
Bailey’s effort but from point-blank range was blocked by Joe Shaughnessy before Obileye spun and sent a shot inches past from a tight angle.
It was frantic and all a bit last-gasp late on as Saints held on while Livi will look at missed chances on a day when they were worth a share of the spoils.