De Vita’s Italian job takes the sting out of the Wasps

Mar 3 2011 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

RAFFAELE DE VITA has revealed he took a leaf out of legendary striker Filippo Inzaghi’s book of goals on Saturday when the Italian marked his return to the starting line-up with a deadly double.

The Livingston striker netted twice in the second-half on his first start since January to add to Iain Russell’s spot-kick opener and Bobby Barr’s stoppage time finish.

His first goal was a crisp finish on the turn into the bottom corner while his second had more than a touch of luck about it after his effort cannoned back off keeper Jamie Ewings and struck De Vita on the chest before looping into the net.

But while De Vita admits he was a little fortunate with his second he says lucky finishes was something his compatriot made a career out of.

He said: “The boys have been teasing me a bit about the second goal but people like Inzaghi have made a career out of such strikes.

“The ball came back to me and I put it in with my chest as it would have been too easy to head it in.

“Beany (Russell) did great work for both my goals especially the second one where he was fantastic and a great ball where I go a bit lucky to get myself a goal.

“I hope I can keep my place but I feel we are strongest in the forward line with the four of us.

“We are all different and Deuchs brings in something I don’t think we have had since Armand One left.

“We all have our strengths. Russell is more of a goalscorer than Robbie or myself but we all know how good a footballer Robbie is.”

De Vita had been on the bench in recent weeks and he admits it was a welcome return to the starting line-up where he confesses he hates being on the bench.

He said: “I wasn’t expecting it (to start the match) to be honest. Iain and Kenny Deuchar have been doing really well so I was hoping to come on from the bench and do my best.

“But I found out an hour before the match I was starting and I was up for it.

“ I don’t think I was very sharp in the first-half as I haven’t really played in the last six games. After that we put our foot down and when we do that I think we can beat anyone.

“It is very frustrating to be on the bench as that is the most boring place it is hard to describe.

“It has been hard for both myself and Robbie (Winters) as we played a lot together last season and now we have been watching the team from the bench for a month.

“But there is nothing we can do and it happens in football when the team is doing well and the players on the park keep their places.

“We all want the team to win so we accept being on the bench.”

The visitors had the first effort on goal of the match when Kevin McDonald went close with a free kick from the edge of the box but Alloa old-boy Russell went even closer for Livi on six minutes when he burst into space in the inside right position and fired a shot on the turn which flew across the face of goal and narrowly wide.

Bryan Prunty almost edged Alloa in front just after the half hour mark when he flung himself at a Ross Philp cross five yards from goal but Tony Bullock made a tremendous reaction save to claw the ball away to safety.

Ten minutes after the break the league leaders were gifted a spot-kick by a moment of madness by Alloa stopper Michael Dunlop who threw his hands in the air inside his box as he challenged Kenny Deuchar.

Russell took the resulting penalty and sent the keeper the wrong way to open the scoring.

Livingston then doubled their lead two minutes later when Russell turned provider, pulling the ball back from the touchline, where De Vita lashed the ball across goal and into the far corner out of Ewings’ reach.

Russell and De Vita combined again 14 minutes from time for number three as Russell’s quick feet saw him skip into the box and once again pick out his strike partner.

De Vita’s initial effort was saved by Ewings but the ball ricocheted off the Italian’s chest and dropped into the net.

Sub Barr netted his side’s fourth in the first minute of stoppage time after being fed by Robbie Winters who led a Livi counter-attacking charge.

Livingston manager Gary Bollan said: “We thought the first-half was a bit flat and we asked the players to show a bit more urgency in the second-half and they did that and scored four goals which we are delighted with.

“We tried something different today which worked at times and didn’t at other times.

“ Just as we were awarded the penalty we were preparing to bring on Bobby (Barr) and switching to 4-4-2 and bringing Bobby on, as he is direct, probably did help.”

Alloa manager Allan Maitland said: “I’ve got to say that was the strangest game I’ve been involved with for ages as anyone looking at the score will think it was a hammering.

“We gave the ball away twice on the half-way line and inexplicably punched the ball in the box at a stage when I don’t think we were under any real pressure and our goalkeeper hadn’t had to make a save.

“Then we just made all the wrong decisions but to be fair I thought Livingston’s finishing was excellent. The score line reflects very badly on us but I don’t think it was a 4-0 doing.”

Courier Man of the Match: Iain Russell

Livingston: Bullock, C Barr, Watson, Cowan, Talbot, Kyle Jacobs, Fox, Hamill (Sinclair), De Vita, Deuchar (B Barr), Russell (Winters).