LIVINGSTON rose to fourth place in the cinch Premiership standings courtesy of a 2-1 win over Aberdeen – who the Lions are now tied with on 22 points – in a match where VAR was relied upon heavily.
David Martindale’s side were chasing a second successive league victory, having come from behind to secure a 3-2 win at Rugby Park on Friday night, and started on the front foot in West Lothian. A well-worked move saw the hosts fashion an opening on the edge of the Aberdeen dee, only for winger Dylan Bahamboula – impressive throughout – to blaze over.
The visitors were looking to dominate the ball and were determined to play out from the back. The Dons carried a real threat from a couple of enterprising attacks early on and the travelling support were howling for a penalty for handball with just a few minutes on the clock, but the deflection off Cristian Montano was deemed to be legal.
VAR was not needed on that occasion but it would be called into action within minutes. A Livingston corner was eventually turned in by Jack Fitzwater when the centre-half collected a loose ball and drilled it home. There was a brief delay as Andrew Dallas, back at Clydesdale House, gave it a second viewing and, ultimately, the green light.
Livi’s tails were up now. A thunderous free-kick from 35 yards from Ayo Obileye was tipped wide of goal by Kelle Roos minutes before the video assistant made his presence known, just as it looked like Aberdeen could potentially level the contest.
Claims for the home players for a spot-kick from a deflection following a corner went unheeded by referee Nick Walsh, and it wasn’t long before Aberdeen found themselves countering. Luis “Duk” Lopes, tearing away from the Livi defence, was cynically brought down near the corner of the area in a threatening position.
The Livingston captain’s efforts were rewarded with a booking but then, just as the free-kick was about to be hit, Walsh was summoned to the pitchside monitor. After a few replays of the incident, he decided that the ball had struck the arm of Connor Barron at the earlier set-piece. The official pointed to the penalty spot and Sean Kelly scored to double his side’s advantage with 17 minutes played.
It was a dramatic change in circumstances for Aberdeen and one that left Jim Goodwin’s side with a mountain to climb, although they were able to respond with some decent opportunities of their own.
Duk went haring after a long ball forward for a one-one-one, dinking the ball neatly over Shamal George but also clearing the crossbar. A strong header from Bojan Miovski and a low shot from Barron produced fine stops from the Livingston keeper as the Dons searched for a foothold in the game, while a sumptuous Leighton Clarkson volley ricocheted off the woodwork.
It seemed like Aberdeen’s luck was out until they were handed a lifeline. Walsh was once again sent to the pitchside monitor and spotted a handball from Jason Holt on Clarkson’s shot as the referee awarded a penalty to the away side. Miovski’s initial effort was tame and repelled by George, and the centre-forward’s follow-up was headed straight at the keeper, too. Perhaps their luck hadn’t turned after all.
Then, just after the hour mark, a reprieve. Walsh was asked to give an incident a second look for the third time of the evening, another handball was spotted but this time Duk stepped up. George got a hand to the forward’s powerfully-struck shot but it wasn’t enough to prevent it from crossing the line.
That provided Aberdeen with a much-needed shot in the arm as they started to dominate the ball but for all their possession, George remained relatively untested in the home goal. Livi, for their part, did what they do best: rolled their sleeves up, dug in and battled for every loose ball as if a loved one’s life depended on it.
It looked as though Duk had fashioned an equaliser when the summer signing connected well with a neat cut-back with the Livingston goal gaping, only for Obileye to produce a fantastic goal-line clearance to deny him. It summed up the match rather succinctly; Aberdeen had their chances, but in the end they were outdone by the hosts’ tenacious work ethic.
