Stirling Albion:- Hogarth, Nugent, Ellis, Reid, Graham, Aitken, Bell, McBride, McKenna, Lilley and Easton
Subs:- Cramb for Lilley, Harris for McBride and Taggart for Easton
Not Used:- Hay and Christie
Yellow cards:- Reid
Livingston:- Liberda, Mitchell, McCaffery, MacKay, Tinkler, Kennedy, Dorrans, Fox, Weir, Pesir and Snodgrass
Subs:- James for Fox, Griffiths for Pesir and Noubissie for Mitchell
Not Used:- Stewart and Torrance
The Binos were left looking for their first league victory of the season after a late goal from Snodgrass gave them their fourth draw from five games. However, many supporters will look upon this as a point gained when you consider the Binos were 2 goals down with less than half an hour to go. Unfortunately, last years play off hero showed there is no sentiment in football when he popped up to level the game with only 2 minutes left.
The Binos starting line up showed three changes from the team which lined up against Hearts in midweek. Devine will be out for a few weeks with a hamstring injury and Moore opted to move Ellis over to the left side after signing central defender Craig Reid on loan form Celtic.
In midfield, McBride made his first start of the season at the expense of Murphy whilst McKenna renewed his striking partnership with Lilley with Cramb dropping to the bench.
There was a distinct lack of atmosphere as the match started with not even Livi’s famous drum making an appearance.
Livingston had the better of the opening play but McKenna did manage to beat the offside trap but Easton’s shot from the pass was blocked.
McBride was fouled 25 yards out but Aitken’s free kick, though it did beat the wall, was punched away by Liberda.
The Binos had appeals for a penalty turned away when Graham seemed to be pushed in the back as he went for a corner.
Just after the half hour mark, Livingston took the lead when Dorrans spotted Hogarth off his line and tried a lob from all of 25 yards. Hogarth managed to back track and toluch the ball onto the bar but Pesir, following up, tapped the ball home.
He only other chance of the half fell to McKenna whose perseverance allowed him to get the better of MacKay. Unfortunately, the Binos’ top scorers shot was inches wide.
The Binos made a change at half time when Taggart came on for Easton who must have picked up an injury as he re-appeared holding an ice pack to his left knee.
Livingston doubled their lead in the 54th minute with a well taken goal from Dorrans who drilled the ball past Hogarth after a cross from the left.
A few minutes later, the same player scorned the chance to make it three when he blasted the ball over the bar after the Binos defence were all at sea trying to clear an attack.
The Binos fight back started in the 65th minute when Tinkler could only turn an Aitken free kick into his own net. A minute later, the Binos were level when Aitken burst from his own half, broke a couple of tackles and cut the ball back for McKenna to score his 5th goal of the season.
Livingston responded and Hogarth had to touch a Snodgrass free kick over the bar. Then , with 15 minutes to go, the Binos took a lead which had looked impossible just a half an hour ago. A free kick was cleared only as far as Aitken who played the ball to McKenna. The striker turned past the defender and shot into the bottom corner of the net.
Just as it seemed that the Binos would record their first victory of the league campaign, they conceded a late goal for the second week in a row when Snodgrass scored from close range.
Overall a draw was a fair result although the Binos performance for the first hour left many home fans very disappointed considering their favourites were playing the bottom club in the league. However, the last few weeks have shown that this season will be the toughest the Binos have faced for many years.
The players now have a break because of International matches and, next up, is a first visit to New Douglas Park to face a Hamilton team which is sitting at the top of the league.
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