Livingston extend advantage at top of table

Nov 26 2009 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

Lions’ pride as first win over Rovers extends the advantage at top of table

Livingston 2 Albion Rovers 0

LIVINGSTON extended their lead at the top of the Third Division to five points as the hosts cruised past Albion Rovers at Almondvale.

A goal in each half from Jason Talbot and Keaghan Jacobs sealed a third league win on the bounce for the Lions.

Left-back Talbot set Livi on their way with the opener after just five minutes after he rose superbly at the near post to guide a David Sinclair corner past Derek Gaston in the Albion goal.

It was Talbot’s second goal in three games and the first the Lions had scored against Rovers this season following two earlier defeats at Cliftonhill.

Almondvale defied the atrocious wet weather as club chiefs made the pitch playable but conditions underfoot were extremely slippery for both sets of the players.

There were chances at each end in an entertaining first half with the woodwork coming to the rescue of both clubs.

David Winters was the first to be denied by the frame of the goal after his brilliant lob bounced off the base off the post following a fingertip save from Gaston.

And at the other end Ciaran Donnelly’s header was pushed onto the top of the bar by Roddy McKenzie.

Chances proved to be few and far between after the break with Robbie Winters going close with a low drive while Jacobs fired straight at Gaston from 16 yards.

But five minutes from the end the Keaghan Jacobs latched onto a through ball from younger brother Kyle, who had come on as a sub, to double their lead and slap the handcuffs on the points as the Lions marched on at the top of the pile.

Albion Rovers boss Paul Martin said: “I was disappointed with our possession play in the first-half but I thought it was excellent in the second.

“Over the 90 minutes I felt the game was much tighter than the scoreline suggest but our season won’t be dictated by how we do against Livingston. We can’t measure ourselves against full-time teams and I’d rather gauge how we are doing in games like against Annan last weekend where I felt we were excellent.

“Our final ball was a bit lacking but if Roddy McKenzie hadn’t pushed that chance onto the crossbar then maybe the momentum could have swung in our favour.”

Courier Man of the Match: Cammy MacDonald.

Livingston: McKenzie, Brown, Griffin, MacDonald, Talbot, Keaghan Jacobs, Fox, Sinclair, Halliday (Kyle Jacobs), R Winters (McNulty), D Winters. Subs: Moyes, McDowall, Husband.

Albion Rovers: Gaston, Reid, McGowan, Donnelly, Benton, O’Boyle, Ferry (Stewart), Tyrell, Gormley (McCusker), Pollock (Walker), Strachan. Subs: Dingnam, Ewings.