Hungry Lions devour Berwick
livingston 5 Lamie (2, 81), Sibbald (16, 84), Lithgow (24) berwick rangers 0 Livingston topped Group G of the competition – and secured their spot in the knock-out stages as one of the seeded sides – thanks to a comfortable win over a hapless Berwick Rangers side.
The Lions were ruthless and look set to be competitive when the league campaign begins in earnest next week, but manager Gary Holt admitted his side felt they did not play to their potential.
“The boys are down because we should have had more,” Holt stated.
“I said, ‘Don’t be greedy’, as they worked hard. I thought they were very professional.”
The home side took the lead in the second minute, with Nicky Devlin cutting across the face of the penalty area before slipping in Rickie Lamie at the back post for a simple finish.
Devlin was once again the provider for Livingston’s second, this time delivering a deep cross to the back post for an unmarked Craig Sibbald to volley home.
The Berwick defence were struggling to handle cross balls and Lions skipper Alan Lithgow added a third, meeting an Aymen Souda corner with a powerful header.
Gary Windram tried his best to arrest the one-way traffic at the end of the first half but Matija Sarkic was able to smother the winger’s effort.
Lithgow was left free at the back post with ten minutes remaining but the defender scuffed his effort, which fell into the path of Lamie to drill low into the bottom corner to notch his second.
Craig Sibbald compounded the misery for the visitors, adding a fifth with a driven effort from 25 yards into the bottom corner.