SHIRE 0 LIVINGSTON2

Just when they needed to turn in a decent performance, Shire failed to deliver. The keenly-anticipated encounter with Livingston turned into the dampest of squibs as the team simply could not provide the necessary quality to win the match.

Victory for the visitors was achieved with a goal in either half and their win was well-merited on the balance of play.

Shire will rightly feel a sense of injustice at the sending-off of skipper Michael Bolochoweckyj, which may yet be the subject of an appeal to the SFA, but the red card made little difference to the outcome of the game. They will simply have to fight again to closse what is now a seven point gap, although Shire do have two games in hand.

For the third week in a row Jim McInally named the same starting eleven for the top-of-the-table clash with Livingston.

The only change to the squad was Scott Johnston who came onto the substitutes bench for Marc McKenzie who was absent due to work commitments.

Both teams knew there was plenty at stake. A win would give either a distinct advantage in the title race. And that was reflected in the interest in the game.

The visitors brought a very large travelling support and the home stand was well-filled as kick-off approached.

Livingston were first onto the attack and there was early panic inn the Shire box following a run from Andrew Halliday but Eddie Forrest was on hand to clear the danger. A free-kick from just outside the box from Halliday gave Jamie Barclay an early feel of the ball and, after a flurry of Livi corners, Steve Tosh shot over the bar from eighteen yards.

After ten minutes some great work down the right hand side allowed Stephen McGuire to cross for Jamie Stevenson but his shot was blocked by a Livingston leg.

But the visitors caught Shire on the hop after 13 minutes. They failed to cut out Jason Talbot’s cross and Raffaele De Vita rolled the ball into the path of Halliday who forced it into the net.

The visitors continued to boss the midfield and the forward momentum lay with them. For all of that they managed only a few dangerous moments inside the box.

Andy Rodgers made god progress down the left wing after 20 minutes and fired over a great cross but Lynch could not connect with the centre and the chance was gone.

Five minutes later De Vita crossed for Winters who cracked in a shot from the 18 yard line which Barclay got down low to save.

The Shire keeper then twice had to race off his line to avert danger. First, he dived at the feet of Winters on the edge of the box to claim the ball. Then he was forced to run out and clear a shot pass back from Forrest off the legs of De Vita.

Shire were only rarely seen in the attacking third of the pitch. But, after 38 minutes, Michael Bolochoweckyj crossed from the right and this time Lynch did connect with his head but his effort looped over the bar.

Four minutes after the break Dean Richardson combined with McGuire who tried a cross-cum-shot from a tight angle which McKenzie cut out before it could reach Rodgers at the back post.

There was then a five minute spell of Shire pressure during which the visitors could rarely get the ball out of the box. They should have equalised on 52 minutes but McKenzie made a great save from Forrest’s header off Stevenson’s corner.

But the home comeback was cut short after 56 minutes when Bolochowekyj was shown his second yellow card  after a challenge on Winters.

The re-organised Shire defence was immediately under pressure and after 63 minutes their task was made even more difficult when Winters headed home a cross from Jacobs after being left unmarked in the box.

But for all that, Shire were never really out of the match completely. Minutes after the visitors had doubled their lead, Simon Lynch was clean through on goal but his final shot was an attempted lob over the advancing McKenzie which was poorly-executed and allowed the keeper to make an easy save.

After 74 minutes Shire should have pulled one goal back. A through ball from Stevenson sent Lynch clear and this time he rounded the keeper but his shot lacked any real power and a Livingston defender hacked the ball off the line.

SHIRE : Barclay, Harding, Richardson, Forrest, Bolochoweckyj, Hay, Weaver, Stevenson, Lynch, McGuire, Rodgers.

LIVINGSTON : McKenzie, Brown, Talbot, Tosh, Griffin, MacDonald, Fox, Jacobs, Halliday, Winters, De Vita.

REFEREE : J. Beaton

ATTENDANCE : 1,062.