Ross County 2-4 Livingston (3-5 on agg): David Martindale's never-say-die Lions roar back into the Premiership

Daily Mail​

26-05-2025

David Martindale, the Livingston manager, had joked that the club's new majority shareholder Calvin Ford, the great-great grandson of Ford Motor Company founder Henry, might gift him a plane given his aviation industry credentials.
A trip in a luxury jet might well be in store for the Lions' manager yet.
The new American owner will soon be gratefully totting up the rewards and significance of this audacious comeback in the Highlands.
A Premiership return, sealed at the first time of asking after last season's heartache, also brought a painful end to County's run of six top-flight seasons, 12 in 13 years in all.
From two goals behind, the spectacular turnaround meant that all of a West Lothian persuasion had heads in the clouds here.
The three-goal goal comeback, either side of the break, inflicted the kind of agony on County they had meted out for Partick Thistle with a 19-minute revival two years before.
Adding to it all, Robbie Muirhead's ultimate winner was an exquisite finish, worthy of winning any game of football.
They say the Premiership play-offs format is crudely weighted in favour of the top division side, but one reverse dynamic is undeniable.
The Championship side invariably come into the play-off final flush with confidence, buzzing with belief from winning form. Livingston in this instance came north with six wins from eight.
County, in bleak contrast, limped into the second leg on a run of 10 games without a win, softened only slightly by three consecutive draws, the last scrambled late on in West Lothian.
The first leg had proven fiery and eventful, fraught with tension, but the Lions had looked stronger on the night.
The big question at kick-off here was just how much that late transformation in fortunes in Livingston would reverberate 170 miles up the road in the Highlands.
Controversy flared during the 1-1 draw, nastily in one sickening flashpoint as County were left outraged by an alleged spitting incident from a fan on County assistant manager Carl Tremarco.
Livingston were also fuming at the first leg VAR penalty award against Danny Wilson for handball that allowed Ronan Hale's 96th minute penalty kick equaliser to transform the complexion of the second leg in Dingwall.
County made two changes from Almondvale, one of them bringing the imposing Jordan White back as a starter in place of Alex Samuel, with the big target man having proven something of a catalyst for that first leg comeback.
Livingston's David Martindale made one change to his first leg selection, breaking a run of six identical starting line-ups as Daniel Finlayson replaced Macaulay Tait.
Livingston started confidently, forced the first corner, then fell behind in the seventh minute.
County responded to the away side's early flourish with a fine move with Hale linking play well and George Harmon, overlapping on the left, veering in a dangerous cross that rose just too high to be useful for Michee Efete.
Moments later, though, Hale this time burst away on the left and delivered a simple cross ball into the path of Australian Josh Nisbet six yards out to strike home.
It was the perfect start for a host side low on confidence, but clearly with the bit between their teeth.
Livi's Jamie Brandon did send a strike over the bar, but the blue wave was gathering strength before the second goal arrived.
County were two up inside 24 minutes.
The visitors made a complete hash of clearing the danger with a horrendous mix-up just outside their own box seeing the ball spin free to Hale.
The Irishman seemed initially startled by the space and time he was granted, but in current form was never likely to miss with a low-struck finish for his 18th of the season.
Nohan Kenneh headed wide from close-range for County, but the flag was raised for offside.
There were warnings for the hosts, though, in the play that followed.
Livi exerted pressure and Muirhead saw a volleyed attempt flash off a blue shirt for a corner.
The away corner count was rising steadily but home keeper Jordan Amissah saved high from a Danny Wilson header and then smothered the ball under pressure.
But then an outrageous piece of individual grit and skill from Lewis Smith reignited Martindale's men.
The former Hamilton man set off at pace from not far inside the County half, evading several challenges as he sped into the left side of the penalty area.
The brilliant left-foot finish was cut low into the far right-hand corner of the net, capping off a special goal.
Soon after, Cristian Montana's header forced another strong Amissah save before half-time.
The second half picked up the pace and ebb and flow of the first immediately.
A Smith strike for Livi deflected over the bar and then Aussie Nisbet for County raced away on the left and only just cut his attempt beyond the far post.
But it was 2-2 after 57 minutes, despite the best efforts of home keeper Amissah.
Will Nightingale was booked for a late challenge 22 yards or so out.
Muirhead drilled the free-kick low under the jumping wall, forcing a parry by Amissah, before the Ghanaian saved again on the rebound from Wilson.
It was third time lucky as Wilson's follow-up header was touched by the keeper but not with enough strength to stop it crossing the line.
And the spectacular County collapse only got worse after 61 minutes.
An outrageous bit of skill from Muirhead who, with the calmest of heads, curled an audacious shot into the far corner from a difficult angle.
Still the game tore from end to end.
Nohan Kenneh's measured chip into the box was taken first time on the run by Connor Randall but the volley was blocked by keeper Jerome Prior.
Livingston then showed the other side to their game, defending superbly to the final whistle.
A Tete Yengi breakaway goal deep in stoppage time put it all beyond doubt and sparked a pitch invasion from the jubilant away support.
It didn't need a Ford family jetplane to lift Livingston heads high into the clouds here.