Hamilton Academical 0-1 Livingston match report

Bobby Barr was the goal hero as Livingston followed up their fine away win in their last outing at Raith Rovers with another 1-0 success at Hamilton’s New Douglas Park yesterday.

Barr struck in the 70th minute to win what was a tight contest played out in tough conditions, leaving Gary Bollan’s men on the tails of Dundee and Partick Thistle in third and fourth place respectively.

Strong winds meant that football became an increasingly difficult art to master, and both teams struggled to put together much in the way of good play in the opening 45 minutes.

Alan Combe in the home goal was alert to tip a deflection of his own defender round the post, and also denied Liam Fox with a smart save to his right. Kenny Deuchar headed the rebound home but he was flagged offside.

A fine Keaghan Jacobs through ball then played in Bobby Barr, but the winger skewed his effort wide.

In between times Hamilton’s Dougie Imrie and ex-Lion Gordon Smith caused problems in the visitors’ box, but Livi scrambled clear after Andy McNeil had beaten away an angled drive.

Accies started as the stronger side in the second period, whipping dangerous balls into the box, but McNeil in the away goal held firm to keep Billy Reid’s men at bay.

As the game moved past the hour park Bollan brought on striker Mark McNulty for injured left back Jason Talbot, and the Lions turned the screw on their hosts. Keaghan Jacobs robbed Accies of the ball before skipping past two defenders, but his low shot was parried by Combe.

Mark Fotheringham was soon to follow the effort up, but his strike sailed wide of the left hand post. Gary Fraser responded for Accies, his own effort from the corner of the box whistling just over McNeil’s bar.

With twenty minutes remaining the Lions broke the deadlock in spectacular fashion. Bobby Barr picked the ball up on the left hand side before cutting across the edge of the penalty area and unleashing a vicious drive that bulleted past Combe into the top corner.

The goal saw the home side desperately scramble for an equaliser, but despite the bulk of the possession in the closing stages they struggled to create a clear opportunity at goal.

Smith headed over from five yards when he was set up with a golden chance to draw Billy Reid’s men level, and Livi held out for all three points. 

First published in the Edinburgh Evening News on 27/12/11. 

Hamilton v Livi: Boxing Day match preview

CAPTAIN Liam Fox is desperate for Livingston to get back into action on Boxing Day at Hamilton Academical, after the Lions suffered from their first call off of the season last weekend in the scheduled home match with Ayr United.

Frost and snow saw the game at the Braidwood Motor Company Stadium postponed, and Fox admits the players can’t wait to get back out and play in Monday’s 2pm kick off at New Douglas Park.

He said, “Especially after having such a good result as we did at Raith Rovers, we were looking to take that confidence on into to Ayr game last week. Unfortunately it was called off due to weather and it always frustrating when games are cancelled. We’ve just got to look forward to Hamilton on Monday which will be a very big game.”

The match sees the Livi pit their wits against Billy Reid’s men for the fourth time already this season, with a win, a draw and a defeat for the Lions achieved in the three meetings so far. In particular, the league encounters – a 1-1 draw at New Douglas Park and a 1-0 win for Livi in West Lothain – are promising indicators for Bollan’s men.

Fox said, “It’ll more than likely be tight. We’ve played them three times already this campaign, so they know what we’re all about and we know what they’re all about. I think who gets the points is really down to who turns up on the day and performs their best, perhaps more so than in some other games. I think that’s the best way to describe it.”

The Livi squad were given a Christmas surprise by their manager with Bollan telling the players they would have Christmas Day off, and Fox reckons the decision not only shows the trust the Lions gaffer has in his players, but also that the team are desperate to pay back that trust with a win on Monday

He said, “The manager’s given us Christmas day off which was a wee surprise for us. I think he trusts us enough and knows the players he’s got enough to know we can make sure we look after ourselves and watch what we’re eating and the like.

“I think that just shows, as I said, a trust in the players. Christmas is a day to be spent with your family and I think the boys all really appreciate having it off. Hopefully we can pay that back with the three points on Monday.”

First published in the Edinburgh Evening News on 23/12/11

Raith Rovers 0-1 Livingston report

LIVINGSTON manager Gary Bollan saw his side pick up their first league win in three weeks at Starks Park on Saturday, after a Criag Barr header on 56 minutes was enough to see the Lions overcome Raith Rovers.

Bollan watched his side dominate the second half after a tight first period, and coming off the back of defeats to Partick Thistle and Ross County he was delighted with the improvement in the performance from his players in the 1-0 win.

He said, “I thought we merited the 1-0 victory. It was a tight game but I think over the piece we merited the three points.

“The way the game panned out we began to hit them on the counter that wee bit quicker in the second half, and we had more bodies getting forward. In the middle of the park we passed the ball better than we have done in recent weeks too.

He added, “I thought my back four were outstanding as well. We kept things tight when we had to and players were throwing themselves in front of the ball to get the result.”

Livi looked the more composed in the opening stages, holding possession well without ever threatening the Raith goal, and as the home side worked their way back into the game Jamie Walker and then Dennis Prychynenko threatened Andy McNeil’s goal with long range efforts.

Livi responded, with Craig Barr heading a Mark Fotheringham corner over and Marc McNulty having his shot well held by David McGurn at the near post.

The Lions grabbed control of the game after the break, and ten minutes into the second half they took the lead. A Fotheringham corner was flicked on at the near post, and Barr was on hand to direct the ball beyond McGurn.

Despite having plenty possession Raith seemed lethargic going forward, and the visitors looked increasingly dangerous on the break. Jason Talbot and Kyle Jacobs both had efforts well repelled by McGurn, before the home keeper foiled Bobby Barr after he had run the length of the pitch to create a shooting opportunity.  

It wasn’t until the ninetieth minute that Rovers manufactured a good chance for an equaliser, but Dougie Hill headed wide at the back post. Then in the second minute of stoppage time the ball fell to Brian Graham in the box, but he scuffed his effort wide of the left hand post and Livi secured a deserved three points. 


First published in the Edinburgh Evening News on 12/12/11

Raith Rovers v Livingston preview

CAMMY MacDonald was delighted to be back in first team action for Livingston last Saturday, but was left bitterly disappointed as his comeback saw the side lose out to Partick Thistle.

The defender has suffered a series of knocks this season which have kept him out of the first eleven, but he started at left back in Glasgow in his first league appearance of the campaign after Jason Talbot picked up an injury.

A Conrad Balatoni effort and Kenny Deuchar own goal gave the Jags a 2-0 lead that Deuchar himself halved on half time, but it wasn’t enough to avoid defeat for Bollan’s men. And MacDonald knows the side needs to stop gifting easy goals to the opposition if they are to pick up all three points at bottom of the table Raith Rovers tomorrow.

He said, “It was great to be back playing again against Thistle, even if I’m still a bit short of match sharpness, but I know that’ll obviously take time with being out for a while. I don’t feel I offered as much as I can but it was fantastic to be involved with the first team again.

“I thought it was the sort of game we could have won on another day. The pitch was pretty heavy and the conditions weren’t great but that’s the same for both teams.

“What was disappointing was that we gifted Thistle a couple of soft goals. We’ve given teams goals quite easily lately while we’re being made to work hard for ours and you’re always up against it when that happens.”

Saturday sees the Lions travel to Kirkcaldy to face bottom side Raith, but with the First Division packed tightly from second to last place Livi in fifth spot sit only four points ahead of John McGlynn’s men.

MacDonald added, “Saturday is going to be a very tough game. There aren’t any easy games. Even though Raith are bottom there is very little between the sides in the division.

“You go into every game looking to try to win because of that, and if you have a few of your players having a good day you’re more than likely going to pick up three points. In saying that, if you have a few guys not at their best then you’ll probably lose. That’s the nature of the league we’re in and we know how tight it is.”

First published in the Edinburgh Evening News on 09/12/11

Livingston's Record Breakers

Records area cherished thing in football. Fans in particular love to know who has the most goals, the least red cards, the highest attendances and the best defence. It’s almost second nature to your average football fanatic to put everything and anything in league tables.

And when your own record is an unbeaten home run bettering the likes of Manchester United’s, you want to shout about it. A lot.

I have. Relentlessly. There hadn’t been a day go by over the past eighteenth months where I’d not mentioned to someone, sometime, that Livingston had not lost a game in the town since April 2010. Recently, when Man Utd collapsed to a 6-1 defeat by Man City in the English Premier League we surpassed their own impressive unbeaten run on their own patch. I may have told a few folk about that too.

Then, predictably, it all came crashing to an end - as it had to eventually, of course – last weekend. For the poetic amongst you, just as in the ending of some tragic movie the hero held on just long enough to outlive his closest rival. For those who deal in reality, Ross County came to town and wiped Livi away 3-0 with an impressive second half performance a couple of weeks after the Manchester derby.

It is natural in such circumstances to look for a silver lining. The manager and players trot out the usual lines about it being a disappointment to loose the record they’ve built up but that there’s always next week, and supporters prop up bars after the game convincing themselves that, actually, it’s just as well the unbeaten run has come to an end.

In reality, they’re all seething.

When you’ve not lost at home for such a considerable length of time it does become increasingly difficult to accept such defeat. I’ve sat at Almondvale in the past and watched us getting demolished 4-0 off Partick Thistle, brushed aside 5-0 by Motherwell and assaulted in the dying seconds by Hamilton, losing a game 2-1 we were winning going into stoppage time. But that loss to County hurt more.

Not because they didn’t deserve to win. County are an effective side who will in all likelihood win the First Division this season. They are far stronger in terms of squad depth than any of their rivals. Equally, the fact there were five ex-Livi players on the pitch in County colours, and a fellow ex-Lion in the dugout wasn’t the main source of consternation – although as irony goes it’s not a bad effort. 

It was simply that we Livi fans are not used, in recent times, to seeing other sides and supporters have fun in West Lothian. Games were all about indulging in the opposition talking a good game before hand, perhaps giving Gary Bollan’s side a little fright by taking the lead on the half hour mark, but ultimately being overcome. Success makes dirty glory hunters of us all, briefly.

Last Saturday was merely being brought back down to earth. It hurt, but we might well the better for it.

I know – I’m sounding like one of those silver-lining hunters now. But hear me out. There have been games this season where – for the fans anyway – the goal of ensuring we remain unbeaten seemed to supersede that of winning the game. You could feel an anxiety spread amongst the stands as the thought of a not particularly impressive but stodgy outfit who were proving difficult to break down being the side who rumbled ‘the’ home record stumbled towards a reality. They were always cut down in their path eventually, but it was a close run thing on a number of occasions.

We may have finally lost that record, yes, but at least it was to a good side. And now that there is nothing to protect, the prospect of a defeat will no longer sprout arms, legs and wings and become some great symbolic victory over the Lions. It will be reduced to nothing more than one of the three consequences of playing a football match.

In turn, that will hopefully see the anxiety-ridden masses at the Braidwood Motor Company Stadium try to relax a little and simply enjoy supporting their side again. In turn spurring the team onto another good run. And another unbeaten home record. And more anxiety. Football’s a funny game.

Then again, perhaps that’s all guff and winning simply feels good, nothing more and nothing less. I bet it felt great to be a County fan last Saturday, in any case.