Livingston Women went three points clear at the top of the Championship table thanks to victory over Inverness Caley Thistle on Sunday at the Tony Macaroni Arena, writes Angus McGregor.
Goals from Ashley Elizabeth, Shannon Mulligan and Jess Murphy secured the win for the Lionesses.
Both sides had early chances with Livi robbing Thistle in the final third but Elizabeth was unable to trouble the keeper, whilst MacArthur hit the side-netting for Thistle.
Elizabeth gave the home side the lead with a hopeful effort from range on 26 minutes. The forward was teed up by Jen Dodds before striking the ball down the throat of the Caley Thistle keeper. With the sun in an awkward position, the ball seemed to have been severely misjudged as it dropped in underneath the bar.
Inverness responded well to going a goal down with Charlotte Ferguson making a fine save to deny Bodiam but Livi went two up before the break.
Good pressing saw the ball wind up to Mulligan who fired home from around 20 yards, earning her a fifth goal of the season. Following the interval the visitors came out of flying, grabbing a goal almost immediately with MacArthur tapping in at the back post.
Livingston’s reply was immediate. A corner from Debbie Hendry found centre-half Murphy in the box who executed a textbook header to restore their two goal lead.
She headed home from another corner minutes later but was ruled to have committed a foul in the lead up while the Inverness defence hooked clear before Amy Hay could tap in a fourth minutes later.
Livingston boss Paul Jaconelli commented: “I’m really happy, not just with the result but with the way we went about it.
“I felt as if a bit of our character was back so I thoroughly enjoyed it.”
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