Livingston striker Jay Emmanuel-Thomas netted his first goals for the club as Gary Holt's side progressed into the last 16 of the Betfred League Cup with what appeared on paper to be a fairly straightforward 4-1 win, but they were made to work for the points against a spirited Airdrie side.
In what was a fairly even tie, it was the visitors who drew first blood shortly after the restart when Thomas Robert netted his first goal for the Airdrie side. Robert, son of French internationalist Laurent, drilled in an impressive right-foot effort into the top right-hand corner but it proved to be a lead that was short-lived.
Two goals in as many minutes put Livingston back in the driving seat and burst the bubble of the League One side.
Alan Forrest was the architect of the comeback when he levelled things before then drawing the foul from Airdrie keeper David Hutton that enabled Emmanuel-Thomas to net from the spot for his first goal for the club.
It was a simple procession from the remainder of the game to get the win with Livingston turning the screw. Emmanuel-Thomas added his second and Livingston’s third to secure their passage into the last 16 of the BetFred League Cup before Forrest added a fourth.
The 29-year-old spent 16 months out of football before signing for Livingston this summer and Holt is confident of getting the best out of the striker when he is fully up to match fitness.
“Goals is something a striker wants.,” he said. “They want to come in and score, regardless of who you are playing - whether here or in a public park.
“Jay is very confident in his ability. It is more a case of getting up to speed for the high-intensity stuff and ensuring he can go until the engine is empty - and then go again.
“He’s a work in progress after being out for so long with no pre-season. We are doing the work in matches that we would normally do in pre-season. But these games have been brilliant for that and scoring two goals will only help.”
The draw for the knockout stages of the competition will be made later this afternoon.
Airdrie manager Ian Murray had been cautioned by referee David Munro at one stage in the second period and he was irked at the way the game got away from his side.
“Losing two goals in a minute completely turned the game around and I had no qualms about the penalty,” he said. “But we should have had one at the other end. We were told we were given the advantage but can you get a better advantage than a kick from 12-yards against the goalkeeper? It must have been a heck of an advantage.”
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