5 goals in 14 minutes!
Horror show for Hearts as Holt’s men go on rampage
Craig Halkett celebrates the opener in Livingston’s stunning 5-0 win over Hearts last night — with all goals coming in 14 second-half minutes
A5-0 thrashing for a team with ambitions to challenge for the biggest prizes in the land. Four goals in seven minutes of secondhalf mayhem.
A moment of absolute madness leading to a penalty, plus one absolutely wonderful solo goal.
Hearts fans — who had arrived in Livingston last night hoping to see their team go level on points at the top of the Premiership — storming out in disgust.
Oh, plus two red cards shown. But only one player actually sent off.
Yep, just another bang-average night in Scottish football’s rich tapestry.
At the end of it all, Livingston maintained their hugely impressive home record with plenty to spare, courtesy of a thumping victory that they thoroughly deserved.
It may have taken a red-mist moment from Hearts goalkeeper Zdenek Zlamal to provide Livvy with their breakthrough, the goalie clattering Craig Halkett to concede a daft penalty which was converted by the centre-half himself.
Once that goal went in, though, the visitors completely lost their composure. And were duly punished as Dolly Menga beat half the team to waltz the ball into the net, before Ryan Hardie netted two to kill off the Jambos — and Shaun Byrne added insult to injury in the closing moments.
Hearts, who had snapped a seven-game winless streak with last weekend’s ugly-yet-beautiful 1-0 home victory over Motherwell, knew they’d be up against it at one of the toughest venues around.
Livingston went into this one boasting the second best home record in the Premiership, a testament to both their comfort on the artificial surface at the Tony Macaroni Arena — and their strength as a team who give very little away against any opposition.
Rangers and Hibernian had already fallen here, while even Celtic had only escaped with a 0-0 draw.
And the Lions showed their teeth early, breaking with speed and determination from a Hearts free-kick into the Livvy box after just six minutes, the brilliant Scott Pittman setting up Hardie for a low shot that beat Zlamal — but cannoned back off the post.
Within moments, Hearts hit back — and hit the woodwork — with an attack of their own, Demetri Mitchell rattling Liam Kelly’s right-hand post with a left-footed curler.
Despite this brief riposte from the visitors, it was the hosts who were the more accomplished side.
Holt’s men are much more than just hard to beat, with the likes of Byrne and Nicky Cadden bringing real wit to their attack.
On a pitch that isn’t anywhere near as bad as billed, yes, they play the odd long ball. But they’re equally capable of fizzing it around at pace.
Pittman’s drive in the centre of the park also caused real problems for Hearts, not least when he forced Oliver Bozanic into a foul just outside the box with 21 minutes on the clock.
Halkett’s effort with the dead ball was well-hit with bend and dip — but arced just the wrong side of the post.
Hearts, who had pushed Mitchell up on the left wing and Callumn Morrison on the opposite flank, looked handy on the break.
But their entire game plan under Levein is built on defensive solidity. And that took a knock when Clevid Dikamona went down injured on the 25-minute mark.
With Dikamona just off and sub Aaron Hughes yet to pick up his duties, Livvy very nearly took the lead from a set-piece. An inswinging corner from the right was flicked on to Halkett at the back post, his solid connection met with a blinding point-blank save from Zlamal.
Another corner eight minutes before the break caused more chaos in the Hearts box, Michael Smith having to clear Hardie’s deflected shot off the line.
Zlamal again came to his team’s rescue just moments later, this time making a save with his legs from Pittman’s close-range drive.
With Hardie’s movement and Menga’s physicality causing them no end of problems, Levein’s men never looked comfortable.
Levein made a significant change at half-time, replacing Morrison with Sean Clare — and it almost paid off immediately.
Just seconds after the interval, Clare raced on to a ball in behind the Livingston defence, only to find home keeper Kelly charging out from his area to make a fine stop.
This game genuinely looked as if it was heading for a stalemate. With just under 20 minutes remaining, though, the previously unimpeachable Zlamal came flying out to meet a ball that he had no right to claim — and flattened Halkett in the process.
Referee Nick Walsh showed the keeper a yellow and then a red card, mistakenly believing he had already booked Zlamal, realising his mistake quickly enough — and leaving the keeper to be beaten by Halkett from the spot.
Arnaud Djoum then did get a second booking, followed by a red, for a lunge on Menga — who got back up to score a beauty.
Dancing, jinking and jiving his way into the box, weaving left and then right, he had about four defenders spinning when he finally slotted the ball home.
Hearts were utterly shellshocked. Their only excuse for twice being carved open with ease by simple through balls for Hardie, who finished with aplomb on both occasions.
There was still time, incredibly, for Byrne to bag a fifth — yep, that’s FIVE, as the old teleprinter would put it — in the closing minutes of play. LIVINGSTON (3-5-2): Kelly 7; Gallagher 7 (Hamilton 86), Halkett 7, Lithgow 7; Lawless 7, Pittman 7, Byrne 7, Jacobs 7, Cadden 7 (Robinson 68); Hardie 8, Menga 7 (Saunders 82). Subs not used: Stewart, Lawson, McMillan, Sibbald. Booked: Menga. HEARTS (4-4-1-1): Zlamal 7; Smith 6, Dikamona 6 (Hughes 25), Berra 7, Garuccio 6 (Lee 77); Morrison 6 (Clare 46), Haring 7, Bozanic 6, Mitchell 7; Djoum 6; MacLean 6. Subs not used: Doyle, Hickey, Mulraney, Wighton. Booked: Djoum, Zlamal. Sent Off: Djoum. Man of the match: Ryan Hardie. Referee: Nick Walsh. Attendance: 4,201.