Dykes is delighted that dogged Lions remain on track
MANAGER Gary Holt expressed his displeasure with their performance but striker Lyndon Dykes hopes victory without hitting top form can be a good sign for Livingston as they remained on the road to Hampden.
Not so long ago, the Lions would have been the possible giantkillers, but here they were travelling to Angus desperately trying not to grab the headlines against part-time Forfar Athletic for all the wrong reasons.
Goals either side of the interval from Dykes and Scott Pittman brushed away concerns of an upset and Dykes, whose missed penalty cost his side victory against St Johnsone seven days previously, readily accepts he should then have put the game beyond the Loons when he inexplicably screwed his shot wide from just six yards out.
Moments later, the League One hosts were given belief when Dale Hilson robbed Alan Lithgow before racing in on goal to pull
one back with almost half an hour left to find an equaliser. However, Dykes and his team-mates held firm to book their quarter-final berth against Rangers.
‘I’m glad we got through,’ said Dykes. ‘It wasn’t the best of games from our point of view. They played well, started off well and did what they’re good at. They were confident and it was just one of those games where you don’t play well but it’s a good sign when you don’t play well but still win. We’re on to the next round now.
‘We’ve got a great squad, with depth and quality. There is no doubt we can go further, we just have to make sure we perform on the day. We got a bit lucky on Saturday but we’re into the next round.
‘Everyone would love us to get to a final and we’re all confident we can play well in the league and the cups this season.’
Forfar began in purposeful fashion and, after Hilson had forced a fingertip save from Matija Sarkic, skipper Michael Travis roused the locals when his header cannoned back off the upright.
It was an instant warning to Livingston and Aymen Souda’s header against the bar at the other end and a curling free-kick touched round the post by home keeper Marc McCallum was proof the visitors were equal to the task in hand.
Dykes then drifted off his marker to crash in a header for the opener in the 34th minute and, eight minutes into the second period, Pittman speared his shot beyond McCallum to give the Lions a twogoal lead. When Dykes failed to convert Nicky Devlin’s cross, the outcome still did not look in doubt.
All that changed when Hilson was gifted possession by Lithgow in the centre circle before winning his one-on-one tussle with Sarkic. Suddenly, the comeback was on, but Livingston held firm despite being tested by a strong wind that helped the home side pile on some late pressure.
‘All the boys are disappointed with the way the game went,’ admitted Hilson. ‘It was a chance to maybe have gone further if we’d believed in ourselves more. But Livvy are a Premiership team and it was always going to be tough.
‘My goal gave us a wee lift, you always get that when you score. You’re then hoping you get a wee half chance and can put one away but it wasn’t to be. But we’ll take confidence from that.
‘We’ve competed for 90 minutes against a good side so, although we’re disappointed, we can only take away positives from that.’