Gaffer’s Gon wild over red for Isma
Davie Martindale admits Livi’s Lions bailed out Esmael Goncalves – but that won’t stop him hammering the player for a crazy red card.
The striker, known as ‘Isma’, was sent off midway through the first half for a moment of madness.
But second-half goals from Ayo Obileye and skipper Nicky Devlin saw the 10 men grind out a vital win.
That recovery after Ian Vigurs’ opener kept Livingston in the League Cup after losing to Caley Thistle in midweek.
Martindale was delighted with the character shown by the 10 men but that won’t save Goncalves being hit hard.
He said: “Isma knows he’s let us down and I won’t miss him but the boys dug him out of a hole today.
“I don’t agree with kicking someone off the ball and I’m not having it.
“I will deal with him personally and the club will deal with him but I thought the boys were immense.
“That’s what this team is because it’s all about the we and not about the me.”
Quite what Isma was thinking when he spun around and booted Scott Ross right in front of referee Willie Collum is anyone’s guess.
Not that it’s the first time he has seen red during his limited time in Scottish football as he was sent off twice in 13 months at Hearts.
Anything other than a win would have left a major question mark over the Premiership side’s chances of qualifying.
Now Martindale knows a win at home to Kelty Hearts next Saturday should be good enough.
He said: “We’ve qualified from the group for the last six years and got to a final and two quarters against Rangers.
“That shows this is a cup that we treat really seriously and we showed that in a tough test.”
The Lions had to dig deep to get the three points af ter Vigurs scored with a stunning 20-yard shot in first-half stoppage time.
Not that the Championship new boys had long to savour that advantage before Livingston roared back.
Obileye had already gone close with a header before he managed to stab in the leveller three minutes after the break just ahead of Andrew Shinnie’s toe.
Connor Scully twice had chances to put the part-timers back in front while Mitch Megginson saw a net-bound drive saved by stand-in keeper Ivan Konovalov.
Just when it seemed destined for spot-kicks, Devlin played a captain’s role to clinch all three points.
It was stunning counter-attack that saw the right back pop up in the inside left channel to thump home the winner.
Cove Rangers boss Jim McIntyre admitted: “It was a sore one to take as it was a real sucker punch for the boys.
“It was a brilliant finish from Devlin while we didn’t have the killer touch.”