Hungry Lions fail to take full advantage
Holt’s men held despite flat Steelmen display
Had it not been for a couple of lapses in concentration to twice put them behind, Gary Holt’s Livingston would have won this affair with something to spare.
They looked hungrier and sharper than their opponents throughout, the only disappointment being that their superiority didn’t manifest itself in their first victory of the season.
For Motherwell, the concern has to be why an enterprising opening went so flat. Stephen Robinson’s men never looked to have the belief to get the job done and they ended the night hanging on for a point.
The hope for the claret-andamber faithful has to be that the early-season ring-rust is taking a little longer to shift that usual. The stark reality is that the players who performed so commendably last season have not yet hit the heights. Easter Road on Saturday would be an opportune time and place to show their true selves again.
What a night this was for Alan Forrest, brother of Celtic’s James and until this season, a Championship player with Ayr. He fairly tormented Motherwell and was the deserved scorer of Livvy’s second equaliser of the night.
If there was a lack of confidence in either camp after a barren start to the campaign, it remained well hidden at the outset of the evening.
These sides went at each other like a couple of attack dogs, two goals arriving in a breathless opening spell.
What a pity David Turnbull’s first Motherwell goal in 15 months didn’t get the acclaim it deserved. Playing up alongside the local hero, Sherwin Seedorf’s contribution was also commendable, his intelligent square pass on the edge of the box on eight minutes giving Turnbull just a hint of goal.
Taking one touch to steady himself, Turnbull already knew what he was doing with his second. He arrowed a shot past a closing defender, leaving Robby McCrorie completely helpless in the visiting goal.
Motherwell’s jubilation would scarcely last three minutes. Defending a routine ball in his own box, only Ricki Lamie could explain why his raised arm made contact. Livingston appealed in unison and referee Colin Steven agreed.
Lyndon Dykes, watched here by QPR director of football Les Ferdinand, drilled his spot-kick straight down the middle with Trevor Carson committed to his right.
The early departure of Ciaron Brown through injury did little to stop Livingston growing in stature in the match. Efe Ambrose, his replacement, peppered the home goal with a volley of trademark long throws. Robinson’s men started to look unsure of themselves.
Sensing Lamie was now there for the taking, Forrest dropped a shoulder and left him in his wake. The winger stood his cross up only for Liam Grimshaw to apply just enough pressure on Scott Robinson.
Ten minutes from the break,
Motherwell’s resilience paid dividends. Unseen in the contest until that point, Chris Long’s attempt to drag the ball from right to centre was thwarted but the ball broke fortuitously for Allan Campbell.
The midfielder did not stand on ceremony, firing an inch-perfect, low strike across goal with his right foot. Again, McCrorie was a mere bystander.
Livingston had some cause to feel aggrieved at the half-time score. Dykes stabbed a close-range shot into Carson’s arms when it could easily have flown either side of the keeper. Only Mark O’Hara’s sliding intervention prevented Craig Sibbald’s thunderous strike from working the keeper.
Holt’s men continued to knock on the door after the restart.
Seemingly content to play on the counter, Robinson saw his side twice go close. Turnbull was the provider for Jordan White and Seedorf but neither man hit the target.
Slow to get out to defend a setpiece, Motherwell allowed Sibbald a free hit. Only Carson’s strong left arm prevented an equaliser.
With McCrorie slow to come off his line at the other end, Seedorf executed a sweet chip that saw Jon Guthrie hook the ball off his own line.
Livingston just kept believing. Playing in behind Dykes, Scott Pittman repeatedly demanded the ball in tight situations and, on 69 minutes, he opened up the game with a delightful sweep of his boot.
Sibbald timed his run in behind to perfection and rattled the ball across the goal.
Carson could only punch the ball to Forrest, gifting the winger a deserved first goal at this level.
Holt’s men ended the second half as they started it — outrunning and outsmarting their opponents.
They’ll be annoyed that one point wasn’t turned into three but it still felt like their season had started here.
Motherwell badly need to engage top gear quickly.