Livingston vs East Fife

[east fife for life]

East Fife are on some run atm, when was last time they lost a game?
Not much to add that hasn't been said already, we spent most of the game playing pointless punts up the park and the better team won on the day. What's Lithgow doing at LB? Not made it to many games this season but surely Longridge should be there? Surprised EF didn't play it down that side more often.
Another year where we've shat it in the 4th round, don't mind too much as long as we don't f**k up in the league. Good luck in the next round, sure you'll be confident with the run you're on!

Our last defeat was on Nov 19th at home against Queens Park. Since then we are 9 games unbeaten, 7 wins and 2 draws. Exceptional

[LiviLion]

10 minutes ago, King Kebab said:

f**k right off with that shite!!!

Have a look at the match stats...

Now tell me where this time wasting came in, we were too busy having more possession than you, more shots than you and generally playing better than you to have time to time waste!!!

Better luck next time champ and all that!!!

Btw until you last 10-15 minute flurry at the end of the game the possession rate was between 58-56% to us for the majority of the game!!!

Don't confuse your teams inability to get the ball of us for large passages of the match as us time wasting, that's not how it works!!!

ETA

And as for the lucky not to have a man sent off bull you're trying with as well, those stats come with a foul count for your perusal!!!

If the referee had some bottle to show the card for diving in the box you might have had a couple sent off yourself!!!

Sweet taste of bitter salty tears etc etc!!!

Not sure what the match stats have to do with time wasting tbh, but the ball was being taken to the corner flag with about 15 minutes to go as well as the usual time taken for throw ins/goal kicks.

Actually quite surprised by those stats, didn't think there were that many shots in the game.

[andylivi1]

12 minutes ago, King Kebab said:

 

And as for the lucky not to have a man sent off bull you're trying with as well, those stats come with a foul count for your perusal!!!

Tbf the foul right infront of the home dug out is very close to being a red card, isn't the rule that if you make no attempt to get the ball then it's a red card ? 

Well the lad has completely wiped Cadden out after getting passed him and basically just took him out the game without thinking about the ball at all.

This isn't a bitter comment because I didn't feel we deserved to go through but for me it was a red card.

[fifer67]

Very pleasing what a great team effort. I thought we deserved that victory and boy how the manager has got everyone buying into what he is coaching as all the players are working so hard for each other. Ross Brown was outstanding today and he has really found a new lease of life under the new management. That pitch was never going to allow good football on it and it just cut up more and more as the game went on. I knew before this game that Livingston were no great shakes and easily beatable,and nothing I saw from them today has changed my opinion. That's 3 times we have beat them now. They have a bit pace up top but really look poor at the back. I would say also the goalkeeper looked poor at the goal again. He really won't inspire confidence in the guys in front him.

[Mon_The_Fife]

Another great result to wake up to this morning.

Hopefully get a bit of a money spinner in the next round.

[WullieBroonIsGod]

Home and just about defrosted.

I thought Page and Brown were our stand outs today. And also Goodfellow made a couple of big saves as Livi pushed in the last 15 mins.
We were possibly a tad fortunate with one cleared off the line and the crossbar still rattling.
Up until then though we looked comfortable with the direct stuff. When Livi actually started to play football and beating our fullbacks they looked dangerous.
Lamont should have killed the game off late on and I was worried we would pay the price.

The goal was worthy to win any game though.
Looking forward to seeing it on the highlights.

Next up... either a winnable tie or a money spinner.
Thank f**k Forfar are already out

[Gordon EF]

Brilliant result and keeps our fantastic unbeaten run going. Watching the BBC live updates, it felt like Dale Carrick was on a one-man mission to bombard our goal in the dying minutes. He must have had 4 or 5 shots himself. 9 games unbeaten and only conceding 5 along the way!

[Cosmic Joe]

Extremely contented with that performance. Always a tough game against Livingston but I thought we were the better side over the piece. A special mention to Pat Slattery for his contribution to the win.

As always, despite the outcome, the opposition had some impressive players on show. Buchanan was a potential threat all afternoon and the boy Gallagher looks like a player.

Come on the Fife though! Another wee step on the road to Hampden...

[King Kebab]

42 minutes ago, LiviLion said:

Not sure what the match stats have to do with time wasting tbh, but the ball was being taken to the corner flag with about 15 minutes to go as well as the usual time taken for throw ins/goal kicks.

Actually quite surprised by those stats, didn't think there were that many shots in the game.

I'll give you the running the ball to the corner flag but as you said that  towards the end of the game and to be expected when the team doing it is on the back foot at that time and protecting their lead as the game winds down, but the original accusation was it was being done from the moment we scored!!!

The inclusion of the stats was to show we had no need to do that from the accused time as we were in control of our own fortunes!!!

39 minutes ago, andylivi1 said:

Tbf the foul right infront of the home dug out is very close to being a red card, isn't the rule that if you make no attempt to get the ball then it's a red card ? 

Well the lad has completely wiped Cadden out after getting passed him and basically just took him out the game without thinking about the ball at all.

This isn't a bitter comment because I didn't feel we deserved to go through but for me it was a red card.

Yes that was a professional foul and it was done in an area of the pitch where the outcome was only going to be a yellow, Rossco took one for the team there, if the Livi player was more centrally positioned or even bearing down on goal then the outcome may have been different, but the referee made the correct and only decision there, not nice but true!!!

[andylivi1]

It was indeed a professional foul and usually I'd agree that it wasn't in a dangerous part of the pitch but it was a professional foul with excessive force. 

He didn't play the ball, infact the ball was about a yard away from him when he slid in and took Cadden's leg away, that alone isn't a red but the force he used to stop the player and not even look for the ball is a red card. 

[flyfifer48]

I honestly didn't think we would be beaten today. Far to clever for Livingston. They looked a bit clueless and don't function as a very good team. Hoof ball is their only tactic pretty poor. Whereas every one of our players gave their all. We were first to every ball defended very well. I think the manager builds a solid defence as his priority and it's working. Pat Slattery and Scott put in great shifts oevery game I though Ross Brown was excellent today with some great runs and Nicky brought a good deal of calm to team. What a goal well worth winning any game. Kevin back to his best and all you have to do is name Jamie in the team and Livingston are crapping it. Both subs did their bit Chris Duggan looks the part

[King Kebab]

It was indeed a professional foul and usually I'd agree that it wasn't in a dangerous part of the pitch but it was a professional foul with excessive force. 
He didn't play the ball, infact the ball was about a yard away from him when he slid in and took Cadden's leg away, that alone isn't a red but the force he used to stop the player and not even look for the ball is a red card. 

I think we'll agree to disagree on that one Andy, although a hard one I also think it looked worse than it actually was as the Livi player was jumping out of the way at the same time he was clattered, this made him go up in the air even higher looking like more force was used!!!

So actually it was the Livi players fault!!![emoji6]

[Bayviewboy]

Most of the Livi fans have been magnanimous in congratulating us and wishing us all the best in the next round which is appreciated. However I think some are basically saying we beat them as there team were poor today. I would like to look at it a different way - we didn't let them play the way they wanted ! Hopkins looks as though he doesn't know how to change his system and is happy to play 4 giants at the back from start to finish. Gallagher looked decent, but Crichton & Lithgow are liabilities - my opinion is based on the four games we have played each other this season. Liam Kelly looks nervous at times and I think it's partly due to the back four in front of him. Livi continued to play 4 at the back for the whole game against a lone striker ! Great for us.

We shut their midfield down very quickly which didn't allow Pittman & Byrne to make things happen. Buchanan and Mullen look a good partnership but the service they got was poor, often due to players delivering passes were being put under pressure.

In terms of time wasting - taking the ball to corners, taking time over corners,goal kicks - it is part of the game that every team, including Livi, will use when protecting a lead, especially if you are being put under pressure. Not great to watch but highly effective. 

Thought every player in a purple shirt gave their all today and the team spirit is incredible and was there for all to see. The goal from Nickie Paterson was worthy of winning any game and he also brought a bit of calm in the midfield. Really wish we could have had Kyle Wilkie alongside him. Back 4 were tremendous again. Pat Slattery put in a great shift protecting the back 4. Ross Brown had one of his best games. Kev Smith and Scott Robinson showed a lot of strength and composure. Jamie kept their back 4 busy and worried just by being on the park !

Hopefully we can get a decent money spinning draw - Hibs, Hearts, Aberdeen, Celtic or Rangers away would provide much needed finance to strengthen the squad.

Good luck to Livi for the rest of the season, except for the game against the Mighty Fife !

[orco]

The team that wanted to win it more won the game today. Superb goal to win it too.

Only in the last 10 minutes did Livi put in the required effort and by then it was too late. We might have got lucky if a couple of the near misses had gone in but tbh we deserved what we got. Not our day!

Good luck EF in the next round.

[ewan_fife]

Crowd today? Decent away support?

Credit to Jim Corstorphine for the photo

[T-zero]

Is it just the highlights from the 'big' teams on sport scene tonight or will this game be on it?

[smuggfifer]

Tbf the foul right infront of the home dug out is very close to being a red card, isn't the rule that if you make no attempt to get the ball then it's a red card ? 
Well the lad has completely wiped Cadden out after getting passed him and basically just took him out the game without thinking about the ball at all.
This isn't a bitter comment because I didn't feel we deserved to go through but for me it was a red card.

Kind of agree, our thoughts at the time were, "that's a straight red". Mind you , the Livi player who threw himself at our defender in the box 5 mins from the end was a possible red as well. Never seen anything like that before in all my life watching football

[Afro]

However I think some are basically saying we beat them as there team were poor today. I would like to look at it a different way - we didn't let them play the way they wanted ! Hopkins looks as though he doesn't know how to change his system and is happy to play 4 giants at the back from start to finish.

You've literally just contradicted yourself. We were poor because Hopkin doesn't know how to change his tactics. Four games now against East Fife and he still hasn't got a clue how to counteract you guys.

[StanDrew]

Must be frustrating to be a Livvy fan, a full time club signing some good players & being 9pts with a game in hand yet are resorting to 'hoof ball'. When East Fife played you at Bayview in September & went 3 up Livvy were terrible but came out the 2nd half and played some great 'on the deck' football & pinned us back the whole 2nd half.
Livvy will win the League with the quality of options at Hopkins disposal but is he the man that supporters trust to start next seasons campaign?

[andylivi1]

You know something though I was thinking about this today, maybe not the best place to put this theory as East Fife have beaten us twice away but has our pitch got something to do with it ? 

We don't play as many long high balls away from home, Peterhead 2 weeks ago we played some absolutely brilliant passing football, especially in the 2nd half where at times they couldn't get near us, Peterhead's pitch is probably the best we've played on. 

Ours is a bog this season and we are struggling more at home than we are away, just a theory and like I say I'm sure EF fans will be thinking I'm talking rubbish having seen us play equally as poor home and away lol.