Halliday heads Livi to cusp of glory

Apr 8 2010 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

ANDY HALLIDAY headed Livingston to the brink of the Third Division title with a stunning stoppage-time winner against Montrose on Tuesday night.

It looked as if the league leaders would be forced to settle for a share of the spoils as they were denied time and time again by Montrose keeper Andy McNeill — ironically a player Livingston had on trial earlier this season.

But sub Halliday made the difference after he was picked out by Raffaele De Vita’s back-post cross and powered a diving header across goal and into the bottom corner of the net three minutes into added time.

Livingston had not failed to score in a league game all season long but their record looked in threat as they came up against McNeill in inspired form and he made a series of stunning stops to keep the Lions at bay.

Montrose were not without chances of their own and John Gemmell had the game’s first two sights of goal inside the opening three minutes with a low shot which was grasped by Livi keeper Roddy McKenzie and a glancing header that only just skidded wide of the post.

But Livingston slowly began to take a grip on the match and David Sinclair had McNeill diving across his goal line to keep out a 20-yard drive.

The pressure was building on the Montrose goal and Bobby Barr was the next to have a go but he screwed his left-footed effort wide, while Keaghan Jacobs had a curling attempt deflected away for a corner by Steven McNally.

At the other end, Montrose striker Paul Tosh had the first half’s best chance when a bouncing ball dropped to him 10 yards out in the centre of the box but he volleyed past the post.

The game was flowing from end to end and Barr should have done better after Robbie Winters rewarded his overlapping run but the winger’s near-post effort was turned away by McNeill.

Livingston were getting closer and Jacobs had another effort from the edge of the box tipped away by the busy McNeill before De Vita cannoned a low drive off the keeper’s legs.

After the break, McNeill made another flying save, this time to push away a goal bound Danny Griffin free-kick.

But the visitors remained dangerous on the break and Gemmell cracked the post with a header from a Chris Hegarty corner on the hour-mark.

Livi responded with a great chance on their own when Sinclair sent Winters galloping clear with a ball over the top and the veteran striker held the ball up well before rolling it into the path of the onrushing Liam Fox but his effort was charged down.

Livingston sent on Halliday in search of a winner and the in-demand wonderkid fired a low shot which was smothered by McNeill.

The chances kept coming – Winters steered a header just wide, De Vita was denied by McNeill and Barr shaved the outside of the post from the edge of the box.

The longer the game went on, the more chances Livingston seemed to create but Montrose and McNeill stood firm.

Halliday scooped over the bar from inside the six-yard box and it looked as if that was the game’s last chance until the 18-year-old popped up with a last-gasp winner.

Montrose manager Steven Tweed said: “There was no doubt Livingston were the better team in the second-half but we were dangerous going forward, especially in the first, and I don’t think there was much in the game.

“I was delighted with the efforts the players put in but bitterly disappointed with the end result but I felt the players gave everything they possibly could, and that’s all I can ask.”

Livingston: McKenzie, Brown, Talbot, Watson, Griffin (Hamilton), K Jacobs (Halliday), Fox, D Sinclair, Barr, Winters, De Vita. Subs: Malone, S Tosh, McDowall.