Livingston claimed a well-earned point with a superb comeback to stun Dundee United at the Home of the Set Fare Arena.

The home side made two changes from last week’s trip to Methil, with Eirinn Maguire and Jess Murphy replacing Jaya Gill and Elise Macara in the starting eleven.

Before a first-ever meeting between the sides, both teams showed their support for Show Racism the Red Card’s Match Action campaign, displaying unity as football and society say no to racism.

In a rain-sodden West Lothian, the visitors started brightly, controlling the play and creating several chances early on. Findlay, in particular, was a thorn in the home team’s side, grazing the crossbar with a drive from range early on, before teeing up Mason to force a smart save from Chloe Gibney in goal.

United took the lead after 16 minutes; a corner from the left was only half-cleared, and Bowman nodded in at the second time of asking from the resulting ball in.

If Livingston’s luck had not deserted them there, it vanished a minute later. Another cross from the left caused havoc in the box, evading the Lionesses’ defence and ending up in the back of the net.

Rocked from a disastrous two-minute spell, the hosts looked to get a foothold in the game and created their first chance of note after half an hour. Megan Whiteford took the break of the ball outside the opposition box, but her shot was straight at McCann.

Desperate to get back into the game, the hosts changed their shape at the half-time interval, and brought Leah Daly into the game to replace Maguire on the right. An incredibly positive start to the second 45 was rewarded when Whiteford halved the arrears, shifting the ball well to find a half-yard in the box and opening up to finesse the ball into the ‘keeper’s left-hand corner.

Livi thought they had levelled after the hour mark. Justine Strain raced clear to net, but the referee pulled play back for an apparent foul in the build-up.

Just as they had built a two-goal lead in the first half in quick succession, United saw themselves reduced to ten in similarly swift fashion. Frew was arguably lucky to escape with only a yellow for pulling back Justine Strain as she broke clear, but luck was not on her side minutes later when she received her marching orders for a challenge on Jen Dodds.

Looking to seize the advantage, Katie Henderson was brought on and thought she had teed up Seren McCulloch for the equaliser in the 89th minute. A terrific ball over the top took her to the byline, and her cutback could only be fired narrowly wide by the winger.

McCulloch was involved in the equaliser though in injury time, as her tenacity won the ball out on the left, before a clever ball round the corner for Justine Strain set her clear. A one-two with Whiteford on the edge of the United box left her with the simple task of lifting the ball past the onrushing McCann to level the game, and give Livingston a well-deserved share of the spoils.

Livingston head into the international break on six points, in 8th position, and return with a trip to Pilton to face The Spartans in a fortnights’ time.

Match report: Blair Cockburn

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