Today we have the First Betfred Group H game at home to Championship side Livingston. This is effectively the Scottish League Cup, and is meant as a bit of a pre-season for the lower level Scottish teams whilst still being competitive. Whilst I don’t expect anything from the competition as a whole it would be lovely to get some games under our belts whilst training the new tactics with our newly-signed players.
Livingston ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livingston_F.C. ) have been in League 2 as recently as the 09/10 season but have been a Championship team every season from 11/12 to 17/18 except for 16/17, where they were promoted back as champions of League. They were promoted to the Premiership in 17/18 – IRL they are still there, in game they were relegated back to the Championship last season.
I’m going for the Control 5-3-2 Balanced; I’ve liked this the best so far. Cornelius & Barr start as CM’s, Sutherland as an AP, McGrath & Allan up top. Watt & Morrison as the Wingbacks, Nanitelamio, Hussain & Nicolson as the 3 at the back, Allison in goal. Livi go 4-4-2 and have a pretty full-strength team out.
HT Berwick 0 Livingston 1 (Done 8)
A quick start by Livingston, Matty Done scoring after 8 minutes after a long ball over the top. We came back into the game, McGrath should have scored from a One-on-One just before the 20th minute. Then a big moment – Lawson sent off in the 28th minute for Livi. Now can we get a goal? Its been hard in FM19 v 10 men, but we are playing well, the Livingston keeper keeping them in the game. Stats wise we are unlucky, just need that little spark, if we can get level I think we’ve got a good chance at an upset here.
FT Berwick 1 (Allan 46) Livingston 1 (Done 8) Att 315 (37 Away) – Berwick 5 Livingston 6 on Penalties.
And it took 15 seconds 🙂 Cornelius winning the ball off of Dolly Menga, slipping the ball through to Allan who finished well. 1-1!!! Morrison picked up a knock whilst injuring one of the Livingston boys, necessitating a change. Went triple subbage, Meechan, MacDonald and McNiff on for Morrison, Barr & Watt. We should have gone 2-1, a close up save from Meechan in the 70th, and Livingston were still looking dangerous. But 1-1 it finished – Straight to penalties, because Draws aren’t allowed obviously….
McGrath scored, McNiff Scored, Meechan saved, Sutherland scored, MacDonald Scored – Allison saves!!!! – Nicolson scores, Allan saved – We lose 6-5 penalties. We should have won that in normal time, a shame but the boys played superbly, Dean Cornelius our star of the show.
In the other game in the group Edinburgh City of League 1 beat Queen of the South on Penalties also, 0-0 ANT, 4-1. As such Livingston and Edinburgh City have 2 points for penalty wins, QotS and us have 1 point for penalty losses. A normal win is 3 points, loss no points as usual.
Next up in 4 days we are away to Airdrie in our 2nd game in the Betfred Cup – League 1 v League 2. See you then.