Livingston 1-1 Ross County | Match Report

Ross County were forced to settle for a point against Livingston in the cinch Premiership this afternoon after conceding another last-minute goal.

David Cancola gave the Staggies the lead at the end of the first half with a spectacular strike before Ayo Obileye stole a point for the Lions at the end of the second.

The first quarter of the match offered little in the terms of chances or controversy, but the home side’s spirited youthful audience helped spread enough Christmas cheer to compensate for the match’s early lack of enthusiasm.

Jack Fitzwater flicked his header from a James Penrice cross over the bar and Jack McMillan’s curling effort from the right of the box fell wide of the left post, but that was probably all worth writing to Santa about in the opening stages of the first half. 2 frosty attempts from Livingston’s 2 Jacks meant the scoring remained level as the Lions failed to keep their cool in front of goal.

On the stroke of half time, the match finally produced a moment of Christmas magic! A skewed James Penrice clearance dropped to David Cancola around 30 yards from goal and the Austrian delivered the perfect gift for the travelling support! He wrapped his right foot around the ball and sent it beyond Max Stryjek and into the top right corner, whose touch was not enough to prevent Cancola’s first County goal.

Malky Mackay would have been delighted that his side were able to take the lead at such an important time in the match, but equally he may have been concerned at the Staggies’ lack of chances created in the opening 45 minutes.

Despite County’s reviving opening goal, it was Livingston who re-emerged as the aggressor in the second half. David Martindale’s side peppered the County box with crosses and Jack Fitzwater again came close with 2 headers that cleared the wrong side of Ashley Maynard-Brewer’s crossbar.

After 64 minutes, Ayo Obileye produced a heroic block inside the area to deny Jordan White’s sweeping left-footed shot from Blair Spittal’s corner finding the back of the net. The Staggies may have started the half slowly, but Malky Mackay’s side were now beginning reverse their opponent’s pressure.

With 21 minutes to go, County had an opportunity to extend their advantage to 2 goals after Ross Callachan received the ball inside the area from Jake Vokins’ overlapping run around Blair Spittal. Callachan tried to create a yard of space to shoot but he could only fashion a weak effort under the legs of his marker and into the arms of Max Stryjek in goal.

In the 80^th minute, County were cruelly denied of a second goal by the cross-section of the goalframe. Max Stryjek hesitated in his ariel duel with Jordan White from Ross Callachan’s cross, allowing the ball to drop to the midfielder at an acute angle on the right-hand side of the box. The midfielder tried to curl the ball back into the goal before Stryjek could retreat, but his attempt was met by the cross-section of the crossbar and near post.

However, with just 1 minute left to play, Livingston equalised. James Penrice hung up a cross to the back post where Ayo Obileye was able to rise above his marker and nod the ball into the bottom near corner.

The Lions nearly won the match in injury time when Jason Holt’s long-range effort skimmed off Maynard-Brewer’s crossbar but both sides were forced to settle for a point each in West Lothian.