LIVINGSTON took care of Partick Thistle to stay top of the First Division.
These three points meant a lot to both teams and it was the hosts who grabbed them with Calum Elliot netting a double and also playing a big part in Livingston's opening goal. Partick were still in contention several minutes from full-time but Elliot
saw to it that they would leave with nothing.
Both suffered midweek cup exits to the Old Firm – Thistle being unfortunate against Rangers – but it was back to league business and a battle for supremacy.
It was Livingston who took the lead in the sixth minute, even if their goalscorer didn't know too much about it. Elliot's mis-hit shot struck team-mate Murray Davidson, the ball looping over Jon Tuffey and into the net. It was as droll a goal as you'll see.
It wasn't long before they were two up. Joe Hamill fired in a low cross from the left and Elliot had a clear sight of goal. His strike was straight at the keeper but ended up in a bad place as far as Partick were concerned. Tuffey picked the ball out of the net and Thistle had to pick themselves up.
Within a short space of time the visitors managed to pull one back. There was a crowd in the Livingston box as Kevin McKinley drove the ball across goal and the alert Ian Maxwell re-directed it past Pierre Martini.
Thistle enjoyed a good spell of pressure and Livingston had to be careful. Damon Gray found Harkins and the angle was tight and the effort off-target. The home crowd got excited again when Davidson went for glory and crashed a superb drive off the Partick crossbar.
Partick manager Ian McCall made two changes for the second-half. Off went Paul Paton and Steven Lennon. On came Marc Twaddle and Simon Donnelly.
Thistle's Gray struck the ball towards the Livingston goalmouth forcing David Mackay to make a strong clearance. Then keeper Tuffey had to save a situation when Gray again threatened to be dangerous.
The team from Glasgow were doing most of the forcing and Gary Harkins embarked on a couple of mazy runs. The game was nicely balanced with the sense that there was plenty more to come. It wasn't always tidy but this was edgy, competitive stuff. Could Partick level – or would Livingston kill them off?
There was some full-blooded action in the Thistle penalty area as Harkins seized the ball from Davidson, who took a couple of moments to get up again. A sweeping move from Livingston severely stretched Partick. Rocco Quinn raced forward on the right and he found Anthony McParland who, in turn, passed to Hamill on the left but he couldn't master the situation and the chance was gone.
The visitors made their third and final substitution with Mark Roberts replacing McKinley. Quinn then very nearly extended Livingston's lead, accepting from McParland and turning Twaddle before unleashing a fierce shot into the side-netting. Next there was a Livingston switch, with McParland making way for Fernando Giarizzo.
Giarizzo was involved in Livingston's third. His crossed ball was retrieved by Quinn who played it back in for Elliot to find the net from close range. This was the blow Thistle didn't need. They'd hardly enough time left to score one goal, never mind two.
The full article contains 575 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
