Queen’s Park 0-5 Livingston
They will be dancing on the streets of West Lothian tonight after Livingston claimed their first cup win in a decade with a stunning 5-0 SPFL Trust Trophy triumph over Queen’s Park.
The Lions were rampant at Falkirk Stadium as they made light work of their Championship opponents in a 5-0 victory, clinching the crown 10 years on from their last success in the competition, which came by almost the same scoreline in a win over Alloa.
Fine finishes in the first-half from Robbie Muirhead and Stevie May set the foundations for a glorious afternoon in Grangemouth, before Tete Yengi grabbed a third five minutes after the break, substitute netted eight minuites from time and Jamie Brandon hit a stoppage-time screamer.
The prize of promotion to the Premiership is Livi’s ultimate aim this season, but this won’t hurt their hopes as they head into the final straight with silverware already secured.
For Queen’s Park, the 125-year wait for a trophy continues as interim boss Steven MacLean saw his side’s big day out turn into a damp squib, just a few weeks on from the club’s historic win over Rangers in the Scottish Cup.
The Lions made two changes from the midweek win over Championship title rivals Falkirk, as Tete Yengi and Scott Pittman – who scored when Livi last won the trophy in 2015 – came in for Dan Finlayson and Robbie Fraser.
Some 3,500 fans made the trip from West Lothian on Mother’s Day and they were treated to a fine showing from their side – with all three of the starting strikers on the scoresheet.
In nine minutes the first real chance of the game fell for the Spiders when Ryan McGowan misjudged a ball over the top and that let Zak Rudden in one-on-one with Jerome Prior, but, from a tight angle, the striker couldn’t squeeze the ball past the Livi No.1 and the Lions escaped with just the concession of a corner.
Twenty minutes in, the Lions created their first opportunity when Yengi poked the ball through the legs of his marker to find Muirhead, but his tame curling effort was collected comfortably by Calum Ferrie.
And six minutes later they took the lead in style. Jamie Brandon collected the ball out wide and picked out Muirhead just inside the box. The Lions striker took a touch and, on the swivel, rifled a stunning strike into the bottom corner beyond Ferrie to spark wild celebrations in the Livi end of Falkirk Stadium.
Spiders almost responded in 35 minutes when they broke down the left. Adam Montgomery burst down the flank and played a tantalising ball across the face of goal and Prior reacted well to dive at the feet of Rudden and get a vital touch before he could poke the ball home.
As half-time approached, the Lions doubled their lead with another well-worked goal. May collected the ball out on the left-hand side and cut inside, playing a neat one-two with Yengi on the edge of the box and keeping his cool to slot the ball past Ferrie to give them a big advantage at the break.
Within 45 seconds of the re-start, Muirhead tested Ferrie with a low curling effort that he had to push round the post, as Livi looked to kill the Spiders off.
And in 50 minutes Livingston duly did. Muirhead dinked a ball in behind and it looked like Queen’s Park would be able to clear their lines. However, some indecision between goalkeeper and defence was pounced upon by Yengi, who nipped the ball wide to hook the ball up and round Ferrie, putting the Livi faithful in dreamland.
It was one-way traffic and Livi almost increased their advantage further just shy of the hour mark when Cristian Montano burst down the left and crossed to the front post. But Yengi somehow fired wide when he looked destined to score.
Spiders couldn’t get a look in and it was clear there was only one place the next goal was coming from. Stephen Kelly tried his luck from the edge of the box and forced Ferrie to tip the ball over the top.
In 76 minutes Queen’s Park almost found a consolation when the ball fell to substitute Ryan Duncan inside the box, but his fierce effort on the half volley was battered away superbly by Prior to keep the clean sheet intact.
Andrew Shinnie has scored a lot of late goals for Livi this season and with eight minutes remaining, he got in on the act, seeing a strike from the edge of the box take a wicked deflection into the far corner for 4-0.
There was still time for Jamie Brandon to complete a magical day with an outrageous strike into the top corner from 25 yards to round off a dream day – and allowing the fans to well and truly get the party started.
Queen’s Park will get a quick chance at some kind of redemption when they travel to West Lothian on Saturday in the league. Before that, Livi will hope the hangovers have healed by the time they head to Neil Lennon’s Dunfermline on Wednesday night.
Match Report: Paul Thomson
QUEEN’S PARKFerrie ©, Nauchin, Welsh ▊, Longridge ▊ (Rocco 56), Hurst (Turner 56), Jackson, MacGregor, Tizzard, Budden, Drozd (Evans 56), Montgomery Subs not used: |
LIVINGSTONPrior, McGowan, Pittman, Yengi (Finlayson 83), Kelly, Brandon ©, May (Shinnie 75), Muirhead (Smith 75), Tait ▊(McAlear 62), Montaño (Clarke 62), Wilson Subs not used: Goals: |
Referee: Calum Scott | HT: 0-2 | Att: 4,079 |