Livingston held to home draw by East Fife

Sep 30 2010 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

MICHAEL O’BYRNE lost his footing in his own penalty area and then watched in agony as Livingston lost two league points.

The Lions stopper slipped at a crucial moment to give East Fife frontman Kurtis Byrne the time he needed to curl home the goal which allowed the visitors a share of the spoils.

It was harsh on O’Byrne, who has been a superb signing for Livingston. Both he and fellow centre-half Paul Watson had stood up well to the powerful Fife front line.

Livingston remain top of the table and undefeated and O’Byrne insists the side will return to winning ways sooner rather than later.

He said: “It was quite disappointing to draw the match especially as we lost a cheap goal.

“I should have done better myself at their goal but that’s football and it came against the run of play as we were dominating the game at that point.

“I’m not sure what happened at their goal with me but you have to give their striker credit as he finished it brilliantly.

“We are still top of the league and there’s always next week so, hopefully, we can get back to winning ways.

“The gaffer has it drilled into us that he wants us to win every game, so we are disappointed when we don’t win but, like I said, there’s always next week.”

It was a game of few chances at the Braidwood Motor Company Stadium but Ian Russell went close twice in the first-half for Livingston while at the other end Craig Johnstone curled a glorious chance to break the deadlock past the post for the Fifers.

Livingston did take the lead eight minutes after the restart through Raffaele De Vita, who drilled the ball low under East Fife keeper Michael Brown.

Taking the lead gave the hosts a lift and De Vita almost struck again but his effort found the side netting, while Liam Fox watched his powerful shot beaten away by Brown.

But Lions keeper Tony Bullock was also called into action as he turned a Steven Hislop shot around the post.

East Fife didn’t have to wait much longer for their leveller as Byrne was picked out in the box and when Livi stopper O’Byrne slipped, it gave the hitman time to pick his spot beyond Bullock to level the match.

East Fife boss Steven Crawford said: “I thought we finished the game well but, overall, a draw was probably a fair result.

“Livi started the second half well and got their goal and caused us problems for a five or ten minute spell. We weathered the storm and then Kurtis showed a wee bit of class to score the goal and we had chances at the end where we could have snatched the three points.

“I’m delighted as after the high of putting six past Dumbarton we played Queen of the South and got a bit of a doing ourselves and we lost our way a wee bit.

“So this gives us something to build on for next week for the rest of the season.”

Livingston manager Gary Bollan said: “I’m disappointed to have come away with a draw and I thought it was another disappointing performance.

“We played some nice stuff in spells but not enough to take the three points.

“Apart from the goal we never created very much and I think that was because our performance was a bit flat but results elsewhere went our way.

“We’re still three points clear at the top and in a good position.”

Courier Star Man: Paul Watson

Livingston: Bullock, C Barr, O’Byrne, Watson, Talbot, Keaghan Jacobs (Conway), Fox, Sinclair, Winters (B Barr), Russell, De Vita.