Livingston Women’s manager Paul Jaconelli challenged his players to bounce back from just their second defeat of the campaign - and admitted the SWF Championship title won’t simply be handed to them.
Livi were unable to follow up Sunday’s 3-0 win over Hutchison Vale with victory three days later at home against Dryburgh Athletic as the visitors ran out 2-0 winners.
Second-half goals from Derrian Gollan and Emily Arthur ensured the Dundee-based outfit condemned the Lionesses to their first home league loss of the campaign.
They have a chance to put that right when they welcome Inverness Caley Thistle to the Tony Macaroni Arena on Sunday afternoon. Jaconelli’s side go into the weekend sitting eight points clear of second-placed Renfrew with six games remaining.
It’s still a sizeable advantage but the gaffer insists the race is far from over as he reflected on their defeat to Athletic.
Speaking to the Courier, he said: “It was a reminder that the league still needs to be won and that we need to go out and do that.
“Dryburgh executed their game plan perfectly while we were scrappy and a wee bit sloppy at times especially in the key moments. We moved the ball about well but it was slow at times and when we got into the final third we just lacked a bit of a killer instinct.”
He added: “The strikers had a bit of a thankless task because they had five defenders on two strikers but our play into them was lacking.
“It was one of those days where all the rebounds and second balls kept falling to a Dryburgh player but that happens and they dealt with it and made the most of their big moments.”
The Lionesses welcome Inverness to West Lothian at the weekend with the gaffer under no illusion as to how important it is to get back to winning ways, saying: “It’s now about how do we react to this defeat? Inverness won’t be an easy game at all.
“It’s great for the girls that they have the chance to bounce back so quickly and they’re not waiting a fortnight for a game. They have the chance to put this to bed. It’s up to them to react to it in the right manner.”
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