TNS v Livi Irn Bru Cup

Thought i'd move this into its own thread rather than continue it on the Morton one.

Troy wrote:Yep.Falkirk away Morton away TNS away Hibs away,Bit of a pattern here.You kind of get the sense that that the gods are conspiring against us in order to make sure that LIVI get horsed out of these tournaments rapidly.Weve more important fish to fry than these games imo and the sooner we can divert our efforts fully to our league campaigne the better.Incidently a suggestion on the other Livi forum about the possibilty of the club opening up one of the bars for the TNS game as its on normal tele,that being SC4 so would cost the club nothing bar a few pies at half time.Im sure the place would be packed as it was for the Crusaders game last season for those who couldnt make the trip.Well worth a shout imo.

Good to see the club doing this again Troy, someone must've read it on the other forum and listened to the fans. http://livingstonfc.co.uk/irn-bru-cup-stovies-day-returns/?platform=hootsuite

Hmmm, the £5 ticket price might put off a few folk though, when you can watch it for free on your own telly, i'd rather watch it with other Livi fans and take in the atmosphere but this makes me think twice about it. 3 or 4 bottles of beer watching with a mate in the comfort of my own house or a fiver down at the stadium watching it on their tv with 40 or 50 other Livi fans..........................decisions, decisions.

Aha, the stovies are included in the price and it helps cover staff wages too, right the stadium it is then.

Should be a good afternoon, hopefully we win and everyone leaves the stadium happy.

Sounds a bargain. I myself will be in Oswestry that afternoon though.

Orco goes to Oswestry.... Could be a children's novel in there somewhere

Hope it has a happy ending.

Delighted that the club has taken me up on my suggestion of showing the TNS match at the stadium.Yes i know its on the telly elsewhere but any chance we get together as a support to cheer on our team gets my vote.We had such a good time the last time we did this and for those unfortanate not being able to make the trip to Oswestry this has to be the next best thing.Just one more thing though.I really hope the club get the beer situation sorted for this ,it was honking on Saturday and added to an already dissapointing day.Im sure Sandra and the staff will hopefully rectify this Sorry for the gripe LOL.

I'd be happy if they got some bottled beers in, the stuff on tap is always a bit of a lottery if it'll be any good, or taste off. Preferably some Ales and craft beers and not just lagers.

Right then; can we gain revenge for last year's defeat? I think we are stronger as a team now than we were then & more resilient (despite the 2nd half against StM) & I think they might be a wee beat weaker having lost Quigley to Blackpool. However it's at their place, which should give them an advantage. I also think we are not as prolific in front of goal this season which is a combination of playing against better quality than last season & the fact we haven't really replaced Buchanan with anyone similar.

So in my usual glass half empty way of looking at things:

TNS 2 Liv 0

FG 35 mins

2-1 Livi, FG 29 mins

So far this season we haven't lost a game away from home (Falkirk, Morton x 2, St Mirren, Stranraer, and the draw to Brechin) and I actually think it suits our style of play to be away, the home team wont sit in and when it gets edgy for them in front of their own fans they panic and launch high balls down our CB's throats which we'll mop up all day/night.

I think we'll nick this by a goal or two. 2-0 Livi, fg 17 mins..

I'll go for a 0-1 to the Livi

First goal 78 minutes

One more day of work and then the weekend will probably be a blur apart from the game itself.

TNS 1. The Amber Machine 2. FG 42 mins.

Sincerely hope that the traveling fans enjoy their trip down south and have a safe journey home.Hopefully the turnout at the Vale tommorow is decent to cheer the lads on.Havent seen on the O/S If there are any doubts as to this event being in any danger off being called off so will presume its still on,in any case ive got my ticket and will be there.To the game itself.Retribution is due here i feel for last season.IMO were better equipped to get a result here though i wouldnt be surprised if it goes to pens then its over to neil to do the buiseness.In any case nothing to fear and a great chance to get into the next round.Do it Livi!!!

So 1 down at half time but still very much in the tie.

Goal was reminiscent of the two we lost to the old Saints from Paisley when they were down to 10 men.
Free kick to the back post area that we don't seem to know how to defend.

Whoops posted on the wrong thread.... So

Mackin equalises after coming on as a sub. Fine header.

Deserve to be level, we are playing the better football

Full Time 1-1
Into Extra time

Big Toddy hits the bar with minutes remaining

Mullin fires in last shot of the match, poor decision, could have taken it on or crossed it rather than shoot from distance.

Pens it is.

IMO we have been the better side but I did miss the first 25 mins.

Mackin misses 1st; good save - pens to be taken in ab ba style

TNS get next 2 pens and score both

Toddy scores
Halkett equalises 2-2 but still advantage TNS

Saved Alexander!!!!
TNS again to take and score

Lithgow has his pen saved
Declan has to score... Does 3-3
TNS now to win.... Saved!!!!!!

3-3 after 5 pens each... Sudden death

TNS to take... 4-3

Longridge.... 4-4
Mullin.... 5-4 Livi

TNS must score... Almost saved. 5-5
TNS keeper scores 6-5 TNS - best pen of bunch
Pittman skies it TNS win 6-5 on pens

Good effort from the boys but TNS keeper the star of the pens with 2 saves and a goal from the best pen of the day. All pens on target except Pittman's which was a complete miskick

Good effort, we were playing the better football and did well to get level after a poorly defended free kick. Thought big Toddy was going to get us the winner but wasn't to be, and a lovely headed goal by Mackin.

Pen shoot out is a lottery and when we got level and then scored to go ahead for the first time leaving TNS needing to score or go out i thought we were going to do it. Agee with Bertie though their keeper took the best pen of the lot to have us needing to score but Pitts put it over the bar.

Ah well back to the league next week with a tough game against QoS, need to work on defending set pieces but other than that we look pretty solid.

Oh and good turn out down at the stadium, lass on the reception said there were 46 tickets sold, beer was good too, as was the stovies.

We weren't creating much in the first half even if we had most of the possession. And their goal was a cheap one to give away as he was left unmarked to head it in. Second half was an improvement but in the 20 mins where we tried to get the equaliser, we just got jaded after we scored but we still managed to get a few half chances.

It's a cruel way to get knocked out but I had a great overnight stay in Oswestry. Took in the Wrexham game on the Saturday afternoon and a large group of us got kicked out of their local spoons for singing Livingston songs. We then took over a nice local boozer and the drinks were flowing for the rest of the night and into the next morning.

A disappointing first half where we kept losing the ball after we got possession. Better in the second half and had several chances to win the game but it was not to be. That penalty system was bizarre. No one had a clue what it was all about. Felt sorry for Pittman being the one to miss in the end since he is one player who always gives everything.

Word about the referee - he was no very good. In particular, their goal came from a dodgy free kick yet he let go several clear fouls on Livi players through the game. Homer!

We're not not home till tomorrow so all in all, apart from the score I really enjoyed my wee road trip.

Also the TNS fans were really nice. A couple of them came over and shook my hand after the game.

So, out of the diddy cup 'n all that so we can concentrate on league business.

Still cant fathom how we managed to lose that game after the possesion and dominance we has during it.Yep the way their guy ghosted in at the back post for their goal was dissapointing from our point of view,Also its a pity that Hoppy left it so late to bring someone on to help Danny,should have done it a lot earlier in my opinion.On a horrible day weatherwise i hope those who made the trip enjoyed yourselves and got back home safely.We back at the stadium were cheering along with yous,just a pity about the outcome.Well done to all of you for the effort.Oh and yes congrats to Keegs,just one word to sum him up.Legend!!

They must've watched us losing goals from set pieces against St Mirren and identified a weakness. Thought that was because Lithgow was missing but we conceded our goal yesterday exactly the same way again. And ver near conceded a 2nd from another set piece from the opposite side the exact same way but Halkett headed it off the line, def need to do better at them. Apart from that we didn't look like conceding a goal in open play.

Yeah I thought we needed two up front a lot sooner too, we were dominating in midfield but weren't getting at their goal, lots of balls into their box but made a difference when we had a big striker in the centre to get on the end of one.

More work needed by John Hartson on Toddy's finishing, that was a golden chance at the end.

Yeah, I mentioned the StM free kicks but I also think you have a point regarding Lithgow because on each of those 3 goals Dec was the man who failed to deal with the ball into the box. I think we need to try Lithgow on the back post.

To be fair to Toddy, I thought he did superbly & thought it was going in, couldn't believe it smacked the bar, the keeper breathed a huge sigh of relief when it did, he was nowhere.

The pen system is the new method brought in this season, it is supposed to even up the pressure on each team but I'm not convinced. It was exciting though & we did well to get into a position where we could have won it if they failed to score. Unfortunately they didn't and sadly Pittman was the only player to fail to get it on target. I'd like to see it again to see if he slipped like Terry or if the turf moved like Beckham; because it was miles off target... But just mentioning those names as guys who have missed pens should help get his head up... Many of the greats have missed them, Baggio, Ronaldo, Messi etc etc