Gary Bollan shuffles Livingston pack and comes up with a pair of Aces

Feb 18 2010 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

Gary Bollan shuffles Livingston pack and comes up with a pair of Aces

GARY BOLLAN threw caution to the wind and unleashed the full attacking potency of his team on Saturday.

He replaced a centre-half with a forward and shuffled the shape of his team.

And the Livingston manager was rewarded with a three-goal second-half in which his table-toppers turned a two-goal deficit around to earn another three precious league points.

Livingston were down but not out as Annan shocked the Lions with two first-half goals.

But Bollan tinkered with his line-up and formation and sealed a superb win for Livi.

“We knew we’d have to do something in the second-half to get something out of the game,” admitted Bollan.

“At 2-0 down we had to do something to change the game so we brought Andy Halliday on for Paul Watson and moved Keaghan Jacobs back a wee bit until half-time.

“Then we gathered ourselves together and brought Rafa De Vita on for Jim Hamilton and things in the second-half seemed to work for us.

“You always hope that your subs come on and make a difference in the game and on Saturday I think they showed they did.

“It was a big win for us. At half-time we were very disappointed to be 2-0 down in a match where we could and maybe should have been 2-0 ahead.

“The game could have been put to bed but that obviously wasn’t the case as Annan hit us with two goals in two counter-attacks.”

The win ensured Livingston increased the gap over second-placed East Stirling ahead of Saturday’s first versus second clash.

Bollan agrees it is a big game but he reckons they all are at this time of the season.

He added: “It is always important to win and I’m a believer in the saying that your next game is your biggest one.

“People kept talking about the game against East Stirling being a big game last week but I always said the game against Annan was our next one and therefore our biggest one.

“I’m sure the East Stirling game will take care of itself but we are under no illusions as to how tough a match it will be.

“East Stirling are on an eight-match unbeaten run so we know it will be difficult.

“But there is a buzz about Almondvale at the moment and the players are looking forward to the game.”