Brechin City vs Livingston

Well, another game closer to the league title, hopefully. Brechin have a bit of a tattie field like ourselves, so this shouldn't be the shock it may have been at the start of the season. As with most of our recent home games, I think Todorov will replace Buchanan up front and we'll go at them quite direct. I would take Mullin out and bring Cadden in; the former had a bit of a stinker on Saturday, and the latter made an near-instant impact and played with pace and power that we've not seen from him since the beginning of the season. I'm happy with Pittman and Byrne (suspension pending) in the centre of midfield, not been overly impressed with Millar so I see no reason to change that pairing. Crighton seems to be out of the team at the moment but he's our best option at RB IMO, and his deliveries are an asset. Would like to see him in and Lithgow out.

A win here and it's all set up for the game against Alloa at home the following week - Livi 3-1 Brechin, FG 5 mins.

Yeah i'd start Rafa over Millar, Rafa has looked really good in our last couple of games, fades a bit later on right enough and i'd have subbed him rather than Mullen.

Good options up front, not bothered which of our front three starts as long as one of them is Mullen, with him scoring 2 goals his confidence will be high and that's when strikers score goals.

Not sure what the score will be, we've started recent games with a high tempo and that creates early goal chances, Airdrie were the first team we've stuck those chances away against though, hopefully we'll do the same against Brechin.

I'll try another 3-0 Livi win over Brechin, fg 12 mins.

2-0 Livi, FG 17 mins

Brechin are back in decent form. They will want to get something from the game to keep them in the play off spot. A draw is very much on the cards.

Bre 1 Liv 1
FG 29 mins

Disagree with you Bertie on this one im afraid.Ifeel we now have the winning habit just at the right time for us.Our strikers should put the fear of god into this mob although i appreciate we have many other players in our team in many positions who can do damage.Maybe wont be easy but i reckon if we can get that all important first goal we can stamp our authority over them for the rest of the game.Not long to go before the end of the season and i for one am looking forward to every game i can get including the trip up to Angus tommorow.Make it happen Livi.Do it!!!

I would love to see you proven correct but this game is a little unusual in that it is the third game in a row where a win would mean we will have swept all the points against the opposition and I can't see us completing that unusual hat trick. It would be interesting to find out if any team has ever had a sequence of matches like that and completed it successfully.

Sorry Bertie wasnt trying to be clever i just feel that with the momentum we have at the moment and if we play to our best we will prevail against any team in this leugue.Unfortunatly a last minuite hitch has prevented me from attending today but hopefully the troops that make the journey will have an enjoyable day out.Freindly wee place Brechin is and im just gutted that i wont be there.Safe trip to all and bring back the points.LOL,T.

Brechin 0. Livingston 1. FG 59 mins.

So far so good as we go in 1-0 up and Rovers equalise with Alloa in injury time to go in 1-1.

Wonder if Hopkin will sub Buchanan for Longridge at HT to see out the game with 45 mins to go.

2-0 Livi, Buchanan again, mon Hoppy leave him on to give him the chance to score a hattrick.

Todorov on for Mullen, mon Buch's you can do it.

Alloa 1-1 Rovers FT.

Yas, Brechin 0-2 Livi FT.

13 points ahead with 5 games to go, we're almost there.

Another excellent set of results for us, glad to be wrong again.

Must win game for Alloa next week though, so not counting chickens just yet. (Bet no one saw that coming )

Hopefully get a win next week, would make it all the sweeter celebrating winning the league if we win the game too.

Cant comment on the performance today as saddly i couldnt make it up to Brechin.By some accounts ive heard from others it could have been more but not being greedy the boys did enough to win the game with relative ease against a team still battling for a play off spot.I reckon Buchs has still got another good year left in him and if we can get him tied up for next season it would be a very good peice of buisenes by the club because make no bones about it some clubs will be sniffing about for his signature at the end of the season due to his goal scoring prowess this season for us.Hope he stays.Should be a great atmosphere at Amondvale next week and hopefully the people of Livingston will turn out in numbers to cheer us on to glory.More on that later in the week .Once again well done the Lions.

Bertie Bassett wrote:Another excellent set of results for us, glad to be wrong again.

Must win game for Alloa next week though, so not counting chickens just yet. (Bet no one saw that coming )

So next week you're predicting/hoping for, an Alloa win?

Desperate for it mate, I want to be there when we win it!


In all seriousness I never hope for us to lose and with current confidence the team seems to have I simply can't see us failing to get at least a point, given how far we are ahead, even an Alloa win won't stop us clinching the title & I almost expect Alloa not to be that bothered on the basis that they know they won't catch us.

Maybe I should hope for a week of rain & a postponement

Bertie Bassett wrote:I would love to see you proven correct but this game is a little unusual in that it is the third game in a row where a win would mean we will have swept all the points against the opposition and I can't see us completing that unusual hat trick. It would be interesting to find out if any team has ever had a sequence of matches like that and completed it successfully.

That win over Stenhousemuir muddled my calendar, I thought it was our 4th match against them, in fact it was only the 3rd, so that unusual treble wasn't on at all today.

A very professional performance. But it goes to show how poor this league has been if you consider that Brechin were suppose to be the third best team going into this fixture. Whoever finishes 9th in the Championship will not have a problem against any of these teams over the four games.

LiviCub wrote:A very professional performance. But it goes to show how poor this league has been if you consider that Brechin were suppose to be the third best team going into this fixture. Whoever finishes 9th in the Championship will not have a problem against any of these teams over the four games.

I think Alloa would have a good chance of winning the play offs, they've beaten a few teams from higher leagues this season in their cup games (Ross County, Raith, ICT).

Alloa have a good record in play off games.

I would fancy Alloa against Ayr or Dumbarton, I think St Mirren are now in such good form that they will avoid the play offs but if they don't I think they will skoosh it.

I've often been a fairly vocal critic of David Hopkin, but he does deserve a hell of a lot of credit for being able to set up this team to pretty much scud teams that are on a similar level to us. We've only failed to win one of the games versus Airdrie, Brechin and Alloa this season, and even then in that match we should have won with a bit to spare.

I can't see Brechin doing any damage in the play-offs but Alloa have the experience and nous, and more importantly now, the form, to be going into them with a bit of confidence. I'm expecting nothing less than an absolute slog against them on Saturday, now.

Bertie Bassett wrote:I would fancy Alloa against Ayr or Dumbarton, I think St Mirren are now in such good form that they will avoid the play offs but if they don't I think they will skoosh it.

Yeah I think St Mirren will climb out of the relegation and play off zone too. Really hoping Raith and Ayr come down, just don't like Ayr, back from our last time climbing up from the lower leagues, and Hughes is Raith's manager so nuff said there.