Judgement day for Livi - on and off football park

Apr 30 2009 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

A CONTROVERSIAL injury time penalty denied Livingston their first point at Firhill in three seasons and saw them slip to sixth in the table.

But events on the pitch were once again overshadowed by those off it as reports emerged on Saturday night that boss Paul Hegarty and his assistant Graeme Robertson had been suspended.

Once again Livingston are a club in crisis and Saturday’s battling display at the home title hopefuls Partick Thistle has almost been forgotten in the aftermath of the latest fall-out.

The Lions kept an in-form Jags side quiet and but for some wasteful finishing by Armand One and Leigh Griffiths they could have even taken all three points.

A tentative opening sprung to life on 11 minutes when Andrew Halliday, who arguably enjoyed his best day in a Livi shirt, skipped down the left wing and fired an inviting cross right across the face of goal.

But three minutes later Halliday also handed Partick an assist for a lead of their own when his attempted clearances thudded of David Rowson’s head and looped dangerously over Roddy McKenzie.

Fortunately for the West Lothian club the ball dropped just over the top and Halliday breathed a sigh of relief.

Both sides were trying to play football and the fans inside a sunkissed Firhill were treated to an exciting match despite the lack of goals.

Three minutes before the break and Livi came close to breaking the deadlock when Tony McParland curled a free kick towards the top corner.

It looked like it was heading straight into the net but Jags keeper Jonny Tuffey threw a strong hand up to his right and finger tipped the ball around the post.

With so much riding on this game for Thistle knew they had to up their game after the break and within a minute of the restart they had threatened McKenzie’s goal with a dangerous Scott Chaplain cross.

Cammy Macdonald is still searching for his first senior goal but his wait was almost ended on 66 minutes when he forced another good block by Tuffey with a shot across goal from 20 yards.

Livingston had the ball in the net just a few minutes later after Leigh Griffiths and Tuffey came together and the loose ball prodded home but the referee ruled the teen striker had fouled the keeper.

It was the second time in the match Sparky had seen a goal chopped off after an offside decision rendered his smart left-footed volley void in the first half.

Griffiths was starting to come into the game more and more and he forced a stunning save from Tuffey and smashing an One flick on towards the near post from eight yards.

One had a go himself next when the ball sat up invitingly for him with Tuffey off his line but his powerful drive flew high and wide.

It looked as if Livi were going to thrown a spanner in Partick’s promotion plans until the third minute of stoppage time when the Jags were handed a lifeline when Chaplain’s drive struck Danny Griffin’s outstretched arm.

It was a very harsh decision and surely Thistle’s last chance to win the game and keep their title dream alive.

Home boss Ian McCall couldn’t bear to watch the resulting spot-kick and headed up the tunnel as Liam Buchanan placed the ball on the spot.

Partick’s entire season and hopes of a place in the SPL hinged on the kick and if Buchanan was feeling the heat he never showed it.

The sub confidently strolled up to the ball and sent McKenzie the wrong way to keep the title race alive.

Livingston: McKenzie, Macdonald, Malone, Griffin, Innes, McParland (Jacobs), Halliday (Miller), Fox, Hamill, One, Griffiths (Winters). Subs not used: Sinclair, McDowall.