Saturday 13 March 2010

Elgin City 0 -1 Livingston

A below par Livi performance was enough to steal all 3 points from a determined Elgin side as the march towards the title continues.

Having demolished Elgin 6-1 on Livi's last visit to Borough Briggs, the healthy traveling support could've been forgiven for expecting plenty of celebratory jumping about to keep them warm in the face of a biting wind. Livi even wore the same blue & white kit as before to emphasise the point.

The hosts, however, had other ideas.

City took the game to Livi right from the start, and a clearly shocked defence struggled to cope with the constant pressure. Indeed the Lions had keeper Roddy McKenzie plus Elgin's over enthusiastic strikeforce to thank for keeping the scoresheet clean till Raffa De Vita gave Livi a 42nd minute lead against the run of play.

Robbie Winters sent a neat ball through which the Italian expertly converted, much to the relief of the Livi support behind the goal, for whom De Vita earned a booking by running over to embrace.

The second half was more of a midfield battle, yet Elgin maintained their dangerous edge. Once more some poor finishing proved their undoing, especially an open goal header which City's Paul Kaczan somehow managed to nod wide.

With time ticking away, Andy Halliday found the net again for Livi, but the referee had already blown for a handball.

The final whistle brought a large cheer from the Livi supporters, closely followed by a sigh of relief.

Elgin: Gibson, Inglis, Kaczan, David W Craig, Dempsie, Crooks, Gavin Morrison, Nicolson, Frizzel (MacAulay 71), Gunn (Smith 55), Sutherland.
Subs Not Used: Dunn, MacDonald, Edwards.

Livingston: McKenzie, Brown (Griffin 83), Watson, MacDonald, Talbot, Barr, Fox, Keaghan Jacobs (Sinclair 46), Halliday, Winters, De Vita (Hamilton 71).
Subs Not Used: McDowall, Malone.

Att: 433

Ref: D Somers