New signing Neil delighted to make his debut at Livingston

Aug 6 2009 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

NEIL HASTINGS had worked his way through the ranks at Livingston hoping to get the chance to prove he had what it takes to shine at the top level.

Two under 19 League championships in-a-row had helped him catch the eye of first-team boss John Murphy.

And when stoppers Chris Innes, Danny Griffin and Cameron MacDonald were ruled out of a cup trip to Cliftonhill through transfer and injury respectively, the Lions hierarchy turned to Hastings for Saturday’s League Cup clash at Albion Rovers.

The result – 3-0 to Rovers – wasn’t what the 19-year-old had hoped for, but the opportunity was the moment he had waited his entire career for.

But despite being told he was in the team for the weekend Hastings couldn’t help but worry his debut wouldn’t materialise as the club teetered on the brink of oblivion.

He said: “I was told I was in the team on Thursday by the gaffer and I did worry a wee bit the game wouldn’t go ahead with everything that was going on around the club.

“All the players were doing their best to forget about it and focus on the game.

“The result in the game did turn out to be a big disappointment and although there was a lot going on in the club we can’t use that as an excuse.

“I just don’t think we gelled at all on Saturday and it was a bad performance.”

With MacDonald and Griffin currently both crocked Hastings could continue to deputise at the heart of the Livi rearguard for the weekend’s trip to Dingwall. And if, as they were last week, Malone and Sinclair are alongside him in the back four, he is confident the defence can keep a clean sheet.

He continued: “For the last two seasons I have played in the under 19 team with Chris Malone and David Sinclair and we did very well.

“We won a league and cup double last year and were league champs the year before that as well so we know one another well.

“We’ll have to see what happens and if I can keep my place in team but we all want Danny and Cammy fit again as soon as possible. We want all our players to be available but I hope I can push for a regular place.

“I’d love to try and break into the first team on a consistent basis and as a team we have to set a target and why not aim for promotion?

“If we can add a couple of players to our group who have experienced players like Liam Fox and Joe Hamill then I don’t see why we can’t aim for promotion.”