Livi United lose in cup clash

Nov 10 2011 by Kieran Westbrook, West Lothian Courier

ANDY JOHNSTONE admits the better team won as his side were dumped out of the Junior Cup.

But the Livi United boss reckons if his team had started as well as they performed in the second half, a victory would have been within their grasp.

He told the Courier: “We gave ourselves an almighty task after giving away the goals as cheaply as we did in the second half.

“We were a much better team in the second half.

“I’m not saying we would have won the game, but we’d still be in the competition.

“We’d have managed at least a draw.”

United’s hopes of making the third round of the Junior Cup were dampened early as their Ayrshire opponents took control.

By half time Johnstone’s men were 3-0 down, mainly down to defensive blunders.

Graeme Crawford hit the post before the interval, but United couldn’t claw a goal back before the break.

And a resurgent Livi United emerged after the interval.

The visitors were sharper and passing slicker as their confidence began to grow.

And the improvement brought Livi’s only goal of the game on the hour mark with Andy Roberts finishing after a fine move.

But the damage had already been done.

As Livi pushed forward they left gaps at the back, and Kilbirnie added a fourth before full time, killing United’s cup hopes.