FORREST FIRES IN LATE WINNER AS LIVELY LIVVY STUN STRUGGLING UNITED
A LAST-GASP winner from Alan Forrest gave Livingston their first away win of the season after Gary Holt’s side came from behind to take all three points from a game they thoroughly dominated.
Nicky Clark had given the hosts the lead with a beautifully executed free-kick, but it was effort that proved to be United’s only shot on target during the 90 minutes.
The result enabled Livingston to leapfrog United and move into the top six. The isitors had looked to atone for their woeful away record — just three league wins on the road since their return to the top flight — in their early stages as they set to take the game to Dundee United.
Nicky Devlin and Forrest combined before the winger fed the ball to Scott Tiffoney but after laying the ball off to Scott Pittman, Mark Connolly was able to block the effort.
Forrest then drilled a free-kick into the box two minutes later which goalkeeper Deniz Mehmet was able to take at the second attempt. It was an indication of what was to follow as the keeper, back in goal for the first time in 13 months, played a vital role in keeping Livingston at bay.
Forrest impressed as Livvy continued their attacking tone. So it was quite the sucker punch when United took the lead with a breakaway that led to the opening goal in the 18th minute and one of the few moments in the opening period when United got out of their own half.
Clark netted his third goal of the season
when he bent a wicked 25-yard free-kick around the Livingston wall after Pittman had fouled Adrian Sporle.
The visitors were irked at the award, given that Julien Serrano had taken a whack on the ankle in the build-up to the goal and was still on the sidelines as the ball was curled into the net.
It was to their credit that they refused to be cowed by the setback and stuck to their game-plan. Indeed, it was only thanks to Mehmet that United preserved their lead.
Forrest was the catalyst for all sorts of problems from the left-hand side with the winger drawing a decent save from Mehmet. The ball broke to Robinson’s feet but the keeper Mehmet recovered his composure to get a fingertip to the effort and push it over the crossbar.
The Turk then pushed away another Robinson effort from distance as the ball looked to be heading for the net.
And just before half-time Mehmet was again in action, using his legs this time to boot away another effort from Robinson as Livvy’s pressure failed to bear fruit.
Holt’s side picked up where they left off immediately after the interval. A cross into the box from Devlin was scrambled away by Connolly before Efe Ambrose headed over from a Forrest corner. There was little surprise, then, as they grabbed a deserved equaliser.
Serrano and Marvin Bartley combined before the latter turned the ball into the box for Jon Guthrie to hit into the net.
United, with just one win from their previous four games at Tannadice under Micky Mellon, struggled to get a grip of the game as Livingston continued to press for another goal.
And they got their reward in the 90th minute. Pittman and substitute Matej Poplatnick exchanged passed before the latter squared for Forrest to tap it home.
DUNDEE UTD (4-4-2): Mehmet;, Bolton, Edwards, Connolly, Robson; Chalmers (Pawlett 75), Butcher, Harkes, Sporle (Appere, 75; Clark, Shankland. Subs not used: Powers, Reynolds, McMullan, Mochrie, Neilson, Newman. Booked: None. LIVINGSTON (4-4-2): McCrorie; Devlin, Ambrose, Guthrie, Serrano; Bartley, Holt, Forrest (McMillan 90+2), Pitman; Robinson, Tiffoney (Poplatnik 76. Subs not used: Lokotsch, Brown, Fitzwater, Sibbald, Taylor-Sinclair, Stryjek, Lawson. Booked: None. Referee: John Beaton. Man of the match: Deniz Mehmet.