Elliot snatches a point to go out with a bang

Jan 8 2009 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

CALLUM Elliot grabbed a late goal and a point for Livingston before he headed back up the M8 to parent club Hearts as his loan deal with the Lions ended.

The 21-year-old grabbed a deserved late leveller to earn a share of the points against Airdrie on Saturday as he signed off at Almondvale.

Elliot has been a big hit in West Lothian where he has plundered 11 goals in just 13 starts and Livi have admitted they are desperate to extend his stay.

Simon Lynch saw a first-half penalty saved by Roddy McKenzie but the Diamonds striker did edge the visitors ahead after the break.

But Elliot rescued a point for Livingston with a close-range finish just four minutes from time.

Livi boss Paul Hegarty handed a first start of the season to Keaghan Jacobs in centre midfield following Rocco Quinn’s Celtic recall and the South African born teen did enough to warrant a second chance.

His inclusion and the return of Murray Davidson were the only changes from the side which had lost to Dunfermline in midweek and the hosts started purposefully.

Want-away captain James McPake shrugged off the uncertainty surrounding his immediate future with a inspirational display from the first minute to the last.

The stopper led the Lions charge into the Airdrie half with a series of early surging runs and he helped create the game's first chance when he played in Dave Mackay in acres of space on the right.

The full-back dinked the ball to the back post where Leigh Griffiths’ header clipped the outside of the upright.

It was all Livi in the early exchanges and Jacobs should have marked his top-team return with a goal after Elliot picked him out in the six-yard box but the midfielder didn’t get enough purchase on his volley and the ball bounced harmlessly into Stephen Robertson’s arms.

Griffiths was next to try his luck as he created a yard of space but Robertson palmed his drive over the bar.

It seemed as if it was only a matter of time until Livingston took the lead but in Airdrie’s first venture forward they won a penalty.

Stephen McKenna went down under a challenge from Jacobs, who looked to have had contact with the ball, and ref Steve O’Reilly pointed to the spot.

Lynch had netted from the spot a week earlier against Morton but this time his effort was brilliantly saved by McKenzie.

The game almost exploded five minutes after the break when McPake and Airdrie midfielder Kevin McDonald could have both been sent off.

McPake received a yellow card for grabbing McDonald by the throat after the midfielder's reckless and late tackle left Chris Innes in a crumpled heap on the turf.

Airdrie boss Kenny Black introduced Paul Di Giacomo front the bench and he made an instant impact, laying on the opener for Lynch after 68 minutes.

However, just as it looked like the leagues bottom club were going to return to New Broomfield with all three points, Livingston equalised.

Griffiths’ quick feet created an opening for Tony McParland whose shot was parried into the path of Elliot and he steered the ball into the net from four yards.

Skipper McPake admitted it had been a tough shift but reckoned a point was a decent return against a side intent on defending.

He said: “I think a point is a good result against a side as negative as Airdrie. They’re at the bottom of the league and scrapping for every point and they made it hard for us.

“There is no good dominating and then not getting the end product. We needed to get the goal when we were on top but we got hit by a sucker punch which is what happens in football.”

Livingston: McKenzie, Mackay, Talbot, McPake, Jacobs (Miller), Innes (McDonald), McParland, Davidson, Elliot, Griffiths, Hamill (Halliday). Subs: Cave, Martini.