IF league duty has caused sleepless nights for Livingston, their form in the League Cup has offered some respite.
Gary Holt left his managerial post last week after the West Lothian club slumped to a ninth defeat in the Premier League to St Mirren last weekend but it was an easy shift for head of football operations David Martindale and Tony Caig who oversaw the club’s progression into the quarter-final of the cup.
Straight from kick-off Scott Pittman drove at the Ayr defence and although his shot was deflected just wide, it set the tone for the opening 12 minutes by which time Livingston’s foot was in the next round.
Josh Mullin started it off after whipping a ball into the box from Alan Forrest’s short corner that was deflected into the net by the head of Joe Chalmers. It was the start of an onslaught that had the hosts able to get out the pipe and slippers long before the interval rolled around.
Jack Fitzwater netted his first when Mullin’s corner caused all sorts of problems for Ayr. Flicked on by Nicky Devlin to Matej Poplatnik he teed up Fitzwater whose strike took a deflection on its way into the net.
Six minutes later there was a second for Fitzwater. Craig Sibbald’s cross into the box was met by the 23-year-old whose header came off the inside of the post.
On the cusp of the interval Forrest netted the fourth when he drove a fierce effort from the edge of the box after Ayr had failed to properly clear.
“It is never ideal, changing a manager, but these things happen in football and you have to try and move forward from it,” Sibbald said. “Gary came and spoke to us all on Thursday and said his goodbyes. I texted him after it but it is just football and you have to carry on.
“He can be proud of what he achieved here. This season has been difficult and he felt that it was time to go but he did brilliantly here and all the boys thanked him. It was a bit emotional on Thursday but a lot of boys have been through this before and you have to just get on with it.
“That was four goals and it was a good performance so we need to carry that into the league now. We need to pick up points and get up that league.”
Martindale was equally enthused about the reaction to what has been a tumultuous week. The West Lothian side will discover their quarter-final
opponents when the draw is made after Falkirk’s game against Rangers today but already there is a sense of optimism about what could lie ahead.
“We are one game away from Hampden and as a club that is where we want to go,” said Martindale. “If we could reach a semi-final at Hampden it would be absolutely massive for the club, the players and the community. It would be unbelievable if we could get to a semi-final or even a final but we still have a long way to go.
“I thought the boys reacted brilliantly after what happened this week. I spoke to them before the game and told them that as much as for yourself this is for Gary Holt as well. It wasn’t about me.”
Ayr boss Mark Kerr lamented the ease with which Livingston were able to take charge.
“We killed ourselves early doors,” he said. “The goals were totally avoidable. But we just continually fed into their hands. When you go a few goals up early
on, then it’s a great chance to pass the ball on a pitch like this. These games are brilliant if you can get a result and progress but now it’s about getting back to the league.”
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