Livi take advantage of Saints chaos for comfortable victory
Livingston manager David Martindale’s long wait for an away win ended in style at Perth.
First-half strikes from Odin Bailey and Bruce Anderson were followed by a third from Scott Pittman to gain a measure of revenge for last term’s Betfred Cup final defeat from Saints.
Without a win in their last six games on the road and hurting after three defeats before the international break, the visitors took full advantage of unusually chaotic Perth defending.
“It was a great result,” said Martindale.
“I see a lot of people talking about away records but it’s difficult to win any game away from home outwith your top four teams.
“I’m pleased to come here and win like that because it’s been draws here and it’s nice to score three goals at St Johnstone and really pleasing to get a clean sheet.”
It was an afternoon to forget for Saints manager Callum Davidson, who watched with disbelief as his customarily frugal defence gifted Livingston their goals.
“Say what you want, but when you concede goals like that you don’t win football matches.
“In the 18 months I have been here one of our strengths has been doing the basics right.
“We did work hard as a team but we just made too many individual errors.
“We allowed three of the most simple goals Livingston will probably ever score.”
Perth midfielder Liam Craig received a framed jersey from chairman Steven Brown and manager Davidson before kick-off to mark surpassing Steven Anderson’s all-time appearance record in the last game with Dundee. His longtime colleague David Wotherspoon started despite only returning from Canada’s World Cup qualifier with Panama 24 hours earlier.
Another midfielder, Cammy MacPherson, was given a belated debut after recovering from a shoulder injury sustained in a bounce game hard on the heels of signing on loan from St Mirren.
The Lions made four changes from the side which lost to St Mirren before the international break, with Nicky Devlin, Pittman, Cristian Montano and
Anderson all starting. The visitors took the game to Saints from the start and Montano was denied by keeper Zander Clark within two minutes.
Pittman’s initial effort clipped Shaun Rooney and reared up into the attacker’s path, only for Clark to halt his close range header with his feet.
But in their next attack Livi sliced their way through the Perth defence again and this time Bailey cashed in.
Anderson stepped away from a cross to leave a gaping hole for the on-loan Birmingham City youngster to slide a 14-yard shot inside the post.
Saints came within inches of a sixth minute response but Craig’s dipping shot from a MacPherson corner clipped the crossbar.
Having lost talisman Shaun Rooney to a 22nd minute leg injury, Saints’ rejigged defence gifted the Lions a second goal in bizarre fashion seven minutes later.
Keeper Clark’s pass clipped the heel of unsuspecting centre-back Jamie McCart, recalled after a one-game ban, and Anderson took full advantage of the unexpected opportunity by slamming a right-foot shot beyond the errant goalkeeper.
In the 66th minute Anderson teed-up the third for Pittman to tuck away from close range after the centre picked out the midfielder with a pinpoint pass across the six-yard box.
But the space for Anderson to exploit had been created by a sickening clash of heads which left Ambrose and O’Halloran grounded in the penalty area, with both dazed players unable to see out the game.