LIVINGSTON’S incredible season might just end with them back in the Premiership for the first time in 12 years.
It was a stunning win for David Hopkin’s men, who host Dundee United on Friday in the second leg, but this play-off semi-final is a long way from being decided.
What a terrific match. Livingston have the reputation of being well coached, their results this rather bears that out, but perhaps not the prettiest side to watch. Well, they were superb here if a little over-physical at times.
Hamilton, Partick Thistle or Ross County await the winners next week. The Premiership side, whoever they are, will be favourites, but the top of the Championship again has produced some strong, exciting teams.
Friday night in West Lothian is going to be a place to be.
A mere 70 seconds had passed when Livingston put the ball in United’s net. It was all so easy, there was nothing special in Scott Robinson’s pass or the movement from Rafa De Vita and yet both did enough to bamboozle their would-be markers.
De Vita was allowed a sniff of goal and his low shot across Harry Lewis put his side in the lead. It lasted a minute at best.
For United, Stan Staunton did well to find Billy King on the left hand side of the Livingston area; his cutback picked out Thomas Mikkelsen and he showed great skill to guide his first time shot on the volley into the bottom corner.
It was frenetic stuff. With a whole eight minutes on the clock, and while United players were looking for a flag which stayed down, De Vita took a shot on the turn, a well-executed one at that, which forced Lewis into a save at his near post.
Livingston should have had a penalty on 18 minutes. De Vita got to the ball before United defender Stewart Murdoch and it did seem a clear trip as the Livi man hit the Tannadice turf. Referee Nick Walsh had a clear view of the challenge but still saw no foul.
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At the other end, Lee Miller’s defensive header sent the ball sail a couple of inches over his own bar. It was all happening.
Scott Robinson of the visitors went into the book on 22 minutes for a shocking challenge on Willo Flood. Had he been sent off, there would be been little room to complain.
So, justice was done to an extent when United took the lead six minutes later. Antony Ralston got himself forward from right-back, the ball was played wide to him and he was given far too much time to get off a shot, helped by a big deflection courtesy of a deflection off Jackson Longridge, which sped past Neil Alexander in Livingston's goal.
It was some game and two minutes after that, as yet another United attempt at playing offside failed, De Vita sneaked in behind the back four, got the ball and himself around Lewis, but a heavy touch took him to far wide and he failed to hit the target.
The second-half was a far more mundane fair. We had to wait a whole six minutes before a clear-cut chance.
Ralston, who by now was enjoying a fine evening, delivered a perfect cross for Scott McDonald whose clever flick of a header would have resulted in a goal had Livingston keeper Alexander not somehow got his hand to the ball.
United were the stronger team at this stage, which made you wonder why there have been spells this season when the group of players have performed so woefully.
But then they went to sleep at the back, twice, a reminder of why they have had so many problems.
Now, Livingston’s Josh Mullin deserves great credit for his solo goal on 77 minutes but Jamie Robson and Bilel Mohsni should never have allowed him to get between them – but they did and the midfielder's finish to equalise was superb.
And then Livingston won it three minutes later.
Scott Murdoch was last man but dallied on the ball, Shaun Byrne got a toe to it which put Scott Pittman a chance to run at United’s goal, he cut inside Mohsni and delivered a deft chip over Lewis.
United’s night got even worse when Willo Flood was sent off for pointlessly pushing Billy King to collect a second yellow.
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