Malky: No disrespect to Livi, but I only
LIVINGSTON 1 Obileye (16, pen) ROSS COUNTY 0
Ross County manager Malky Mackay defended the wholesale changes he made for the game and insists he did not disrespect the Cup.
County started the game showing some six alterations from the team that beat Motherwell in midweek and those who came in acquitted themselves well, despite going down to a Ayo Obileye penalty.
However, after the game Mackay revealed the 12 outfield players who featured were actually the only ones available.
Mackay named nine subs, including two keepers, but said that was simply for show.
He said: “To be absolutely clear, the team was absolutely no disrespect to the Scottish Cup or Livingston.
“What we played was what we had left. Six of the nine on the bench were not fit to come on. We had two outfield players left, Jordan White and Harry Paton, and they both came on.
“We took some heavy hits on Tuesday against Motherwell and we also had a suspension
“We had 14 we could play, so I filled the bench with the rest of them to make it look as if it was viable. It was no excuse – because we were beaten fair and square.
“We will give them another four or five days to see if they are available for the middle of the week. But there are certainly a few who won’t be available for that either.”
Little happened during a bland start to the game but in the 13th minute both sets of players and fans stopped for a minute’s applause to mark the tragic passing of local boy Devin Gordon.
Within four minutes of the action resuming, the home side went ahead from the penalty spot.
Bruce Anderson got goal side of Declan Drysdale to meet a Jack Fitzwater ball and the defender clumsily fell into the back of the striker.
Bobby Madden pointed to the spot and Obileye was the epitome of cool
as he swept a shot straight down the middle.
County responded well and came close to equalising when Ben Paton’s deflected drive wrong footed Lions keeper Max Stryjek but the effort drifted just past the post.
Stryjek then had to be alert to race to the side of his box to smother an Alex Samuel shot.
County forced the issue in the second half and piled on the pressure in search of an equaliser.
A great chance came and went in the 49th minute when Alex Samuel – free inside the six yard box – headed a Jake Vokin’s cross wide.
Spittal then had a low drive repelled by Stryjek before Dominic Samuel’s diving header at the near post also missed the target.
Joel Nouble came off the bench to make his debut and should have given Livingston a two-goal cushion nine minutes from time but his low drive was kept out by Ross Laidlaw.
Livingston manager Davie Martindale said: “It’s cup football, the objective before the game was to make sure you’re in the hat for the next round.
“I think Ross County dominated large spells of possession in the second half but I thought we had the better chances.
“We defended our box really well in the second half.
“That’s 22 clean sheets from 55 games. At a club our size, I think that’s phenomenal, pretty phenomenal you’ve got a keeper that’s doing that.”