Six-goal thriller has sour finish
Livi fury over Hardie strike chopped off after fightback
Former Lion Nikolay Todorov came back to haunt his old club after Livingston fought back from a two-goal deficit to take the lead in a pulsating 3-3 draw on Saturday.
Two goals in quick succession from Joe Thomson and Lyndon Dykes put Queens 2-0 up after half an hour before Raffaele De Vita got the Lions back into the game with a fantastic free kick four minutes before half-time.
Craig Halkett levelled in the 51st minute via an Alan Lithgow long throw, then Ryan Hardie put the West Lothian outfit in front eight minutes later.
But former Livingston striker Todorov levelled in injury time after a controversial decision to disallow a fourth Livi goal for offside..
Queens started brightly as Stephen Dobbie hit the post from 18 yards then put the follow up narrowly wide only seven minutes into the game. There was an even share of possession, and chances, before Queens took the lead in the 28th minute through Joe Thomson, who fired a brilliant shot past Neil Alexander from distance.
Just two minutes later the hosts doubled their lead. Dominic Thomas got down the right wing and cut the ball back for Lyndon Dykes and the striker tapped home from close range, giving the Lions a mountain to climb. The visitors almost got back into the game immediately but a terrific save by Queens’ keeper Jack Leighfield kept out Jackson Longridge’s header. With 41 minutes on the clock, the Lions were awarded a free-kick after a foul on Lee Miller. Rafa De Vita stepped up and bent the ball beautifully around the wall to start the comeback. After a poor first half from his side, David Hopkin made a half- time change, bringing on Shaun Byrne for Gregor Buchanan, which saw Declan Gallagher move into defence and Byrne into the midfield. And six minutes into the second half, Livi drew level. Lithgow launched a long throw into the box and found skipper Halkett, who headed home. Ryan Hardie was introduced ten minutes into the second half. The striker, who played 90 minutes for Scotland Under-21s in Andorra only 24 hours before, made the trip back on Saturday in time to be named on the bench. The on-loan Rangers man made an immediate impact, putting the Lions ahead on the hour mark. Halkett made a fabulous run out of defence, passing to Miller whose perfectly weighted cross was headed into the net by Hardie. It was an astonishing comeback by Livi.
But the action was far from over. Two separate incidents had Livingston players on the deck, resulting in bookings for Shaun Rooney and Dykes for off-the-ball challenges on Halkett and Gallagher.
However, it was another decision that proved even more controversial, incensing Hopkin.
In the 90th minute, Livi had what they thought was a fourth goal after Longridge squared to Hardie to put the ball into the empty net – but it was disallowed for offside.
And a minute later Queens levelled through Todorov. The Bulgarian was first to react to a brilliant Alexander save, poking home the rebound, leaving Livingston furious.