Griffiths aims to make sparks fly for Livington

Jun 18 2009 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

Leigh is aiming to make sparks fly for Livi as side open with Highland fling

LIVINGSTON’S First Division campaign will begin with a trip to the Highlands where they will face Ross County on Saturday, August 8.

But before their league season gets underway the Lions should have shaken off any preseason rustiness having already played in two cup competitions — both away from home.

The West Lothian club’s season begins two weeks earlier on Saturday, July 25, with an Alba Challenge Cup first round battle with Queen of the South at Palmerston before a Co-operative Insurance Cup first round match up with Albion Rovers at Cliftonhill a week later.

Livingston’s first home game of the season is on Saturday, August 15, when Queen of the South visit Almondvale.

Next up for Livi are title favourites Dunfermline (a) and Dundee (h) before an away trip to First Division new boys Ayr United.

Relegated Inverness Caley Thistle are at Almondvale on September 19 and Livi striker Leigh Griffiths reckons the Highlanders could be one of the teams to beat in the promotion race.

“Inverness will be up there or thereabouts at the end of the season,” insisted Griffiths.

“They have a good boss in Terry Butcher and they will be hurting after relegation and desperate to bounce straight back up.

“But at this stage as far as I am concerned it looks like Dundee will be the team to beat. From what I’m reading in all the papers they have been spending a lot of money and are building a powerful squad.

“It’s a shame we don’t have a home game to start with as it’s always good to start in front of your own fans but we didn’t get that last season either.

“Ross County away isn’t the easiest of starts but there's not a start anywhere in this league you’d be happy with is they are all tough games.

“Hopefully we can start well, get some early points on the board and start building towards a title challenge.”