Stenhousemuir continue to shine under Marvin Bartley as Livingston claim for a quad of penalties.
The stage was set. Stenhousemuir had the opportunity to propel themselves five points clear at the top of the table and maintain their unbeaten run, whereas Livingston were continuing their push for a place in the top four.
Livingston forced the referee to make a call after just seven minutes as they were adamant they should have been awarded a penalty for handball. However, the referee did well to stand his ground against the mounting pressure from both the players and the stands and gave the final word of no penalty.
Stenhousemuir started the game very strongly and frustrated the former Premiership side, and they reaped the rewards of their efforts in the 13th minute as Shinnie netted against his former team.
After intense pressure on the Livingston backline, they finally cracked as Stenny won the ball back at the edge of the area, allowing Shinnie to roll the ball from 15 yards out under the outstretched arm of Prior and into the net- simple yet effective football from the Warriors handed them a deserved lead. 0-1.
Credit: Thomas Gorman
The referee continued to receive complaints from the stands, which rolled on for the rest of the evening after he decided not to award Livingston a penalty, this time in the 30th minute. Arguably, the decision was the correct one, as from the media side of the stand it looked as though the Livi player had made a rather theatrical dive.
Livingston did muster one chance before the close of the half as Anderson’s header flashed just wide of the near post, the forward arguably should have hit the target.
It was clear frustration was beginning to grow for Livingston, who appeared to be struggling to make connections with one another, as plenty of wayward passes made their way into the stands. That frustration ascended into the stands as a chorus of boos rang around the Set Fare Arena at half-time.
The second half rolled around and the performance remained much the same. Stenny were cruising and Livi were chasing their tails. What Livingston lacked, I can’t quite put my finger on, but they did attempt to make a better fist of it in the second half. As for Stenny, the intensity remained high and the collective concentration was there to match.
Credit: Thomas Gorman
It was clear Stenny were pushing for a second as their free-kick in the 49th minute very nearly doubled their lead. A set play straight from the training ground was rolled back to Bright, who curled his effort towards the top corner, only to be met by the outstretched fingertips of Prior in the home goal — a massive save for Livingston.
The home side did have their flashes in the second half, and one was fashioned through Anderson, who rounded his defender to fire the ball into the net. However, Bright was there at the right time to heroically clear the ball off the line and spare the Warriors’ blushes.
Livingston did continue to battle for an equaliser, but it was without that all-important valour and conviction in the final third. Within eight minutes, Livingston had two clear-cut chances to level the score and one penalty claim. Jamieson had tipped Van Hoeven’s shot over the bar, Livi screamed for a penalty once again for a stonking tackle in the box; however, the referee waved play on. Polworth then lobbed the keeper from at least 30 yards out, and somehow the ball bounded inches wide of an empty net.
The theme of Livingston complaining for a penalty only continued into the 70th minute as they were adamant there should have been another for a shove in the box. If it had been given, it would have been incredibly soft.
Stenhousemuir’s success under Marvin Bartley continues in abundance as they are now five points clear at the top of the Championship table. They now prepare for their quarter-final match against Hearts in the Premier Sports Cup, while Livingston continue domestic action next Friday as they travel to Greenock Morton.
