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Edinburgh Reporter
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Edinburgh Reporter
Rudden strike secures hard-earned win for Lions
Livingston secured their second win in the Premier Sports Cup thanks to a 2-0 win at the Home of the Set Fare Arena, but Highland League combine, Brora Rangers, dug in and had at least two clear cut chances during the 90 minutes. David Martindale, the West Lothian club's manager, will be disappointed that his men did not turn their possession into more goals but this was a clean sheet and they now move forward to another Group H game at home to Kelty Hearts on Saturday (July 26) with optimism and with a full week to prepare. Defender Danny Wilson after 31 minutes and substitute Zak Rudden with six minutes of regular time remaining made the difference but credit to the Highland League outfit for their effort against a side destined to start their campaign in the William Hill Premiership in the next few weeks. A handful of Brora fans, 19 to be exact at kick-off, on the far side of the Home of the Set Care Arena, greeted their favourites on a new pitch wet from a pre-match soaking following a downpour. The main stand had spaces for this Premier Sports Cup clash as Livingston attempted to bounce back after their narrow midweek defeat at Kilmarnock. The senior part-time side from Sutherland were under the guidance of manager Steven MacKay and they were within inches of going behind in the first minute when Robbie Muirhead jumped to direct a cross towards goal only to see the ball bounce back from the bar and be cleared. An early warning, perhaps, for the visitors and Andy Winter then threatened down the right before Muirhead had the ball in the net after a Finlayson pass. He was offside. The rain continued to fall as Livingston stroked the ball around looking for an opening and Macaulay Tait sparked another move but Brora Rangers' keeper Cameron Mackay got down well to deny Daniel Finlayson as the rain poured down. Sam Culbert found space in the right and fired in a fierce shot which tested Mackay and Brora scrambled the ball away from a Graham Carey free-kick on the left. The visitors were starved of the ball and hemmed into their own half but Lewis Smith wasted a fine opportunity by firing his cross wildly wide. There was, however, plenty of neat passing from the home side, but little penetration, before Winter tested Mackay from the right. The goalkeeper let the ball slip from his grasp but, luckily, a red shirt was on hand to clear. Andrew Shinnie worked an opening on the edge of the box for Livingston but the ball was cleared, and, seconds later, Shinnie came close with a diving header from a cross from lively Winter. Livingston goalkeeper Jerome Prior was a virtual spectator until a slack pass from Wilson opened the door for Brora, but the visitors failed to capitalise. The one-way traffic continued as did the rain. The ball was scrambled clear near the Brora goal before Wilson broke the deadlock, in the right place at the right time to send the ball into the back of the net. Time 31 minutes. The home drummer upped his beat in celebration and The Lions went on the prowl, looking for a second. The best move of the game so far saw Smith feed Finlayson who set up Winter, but the ball was scrambled clear. Then, Winter had the ball in the net only for the officials to rule offside. Brora then made their first change but Livingston kept on coming, forcing four corners in five minutes as half-time approached. At the other end, Tony Dingwall had the visitors first shot in goal, it trundled well wide, after 43 minutes, and referee Daniel Graves closed proceedings at Livingston 1, Brora 0. Martindale withdrew Smith at the break, Jannik Wanner coming on, and Livi kept in coming. However, when Brora broke home skipper Ryan McGowan and Wilson were there to clear. Aidan Wilson had a sniff for Rangers but was wide as the visitors came more into the game. Wilson fired wastefully high over when in a good position on a breakaway as the home side continued to dominate. A failure to create clear cut chances obviously annoyed Martindale and he and Livingston had a real scare soon after when Prior mishandled. The ball was cleared. Substitute May had a chance at the other end but sent his header wide and Martindale urged more from his men from the dugout with the scoreline to close for comfort. Dogged Brora stuck to their task as Livingston struggled to find their men and make a telling pass in the final third and the home side were making hard work of closing out the game. Rangers then had a great opportunity to level. Wanner was robbed beside the home dugout. Brora advanced quickly and dangerous Wilson saw his right foot effort across Prior fly inches wide. A real scare. Seconds later and the result was secure when substitute Zak Rudden fired home for 2-0, a well-taken goal and timely with 84 minutes on the clock. Wanner was involved minutes later with a cross from right, Rudden side to head towards goal but Mackay dived to his right to finger-tip the ball for corner in injury time. He made a comfortable save from corner. Substitute Shane Sutherland then came close for the visitors as the clock ticked on. He was a disappointed man with his head in hands in the penalty box. It was Brora's last chance and Livingston held out for a clean sheet and three points as they bid to progress in the competition, possibly as a best runner-up. Livingston: Prior, McGowan, Muirhead, Carey, Smith, Winter, Finlayson, Shinnie, Tait, Wilson, Culvert. Substitutes: Hamilton, Blaney, Rudden, Pittman, May, Kabongolo, Sylla, Wanner, Yengi Brora Rangers: Mackay, Finnis, Nicolson, Dingwall, MacKenzie, MacRae, Wallace, Kelly, Williamson, Wilson, Bunce. substitutes: Hardie, Cooper, Sutherland, Pullen, Ewan, Rae. Referee: Daniel Graves PICTURE: Pressure on the Brora goal from Livingston at rain-soaked Home of the Set Fare Arena. Picture Nigel Duncan Like this: Like Related
STV News
5 days ago
- Sport
- STV News
Kettlewell preparing Killie for 'toughest' League Cup task against Livi
Stuart Kettlewell considers Livingston as one of the toughest draws possible in the early stages of the League Cup as he prepares to pit his wits against David Martindale again. Kilmarnock host the newly promoted side in Ayrshire on Wednesday in their second group stage following Saturday's 2-0 win at Brora Rangers. Former Motherwell boss Kettlewell, who replaced Derek McInnes in the Rugby Park dugout over the summer break, is familiar with Martindale's sides from their last spell in the top-flight and he also kept a keen eye on them during their Championship campaign last season. When asked if it was one of the toughest tasks they could have been handed at this stage of the competition, he said: 'I think so, obviously I've come up against Livingston many, many times over the years, and been up against Davie's teams many times. 'They probably look a wee bit different from what they did the last time they were in the Premiership. 'I watched a lot of them last season in the Championship, there is a lot of flexibility about them in the way they play and what they do. 'I always felt if it was a scrappy game they could take part in that, with a bit of physicality about them, but if it was a football match then they had quality as well, and I think they are trying to utilise the quality they have in their squad as well. 'They have done terrifically well to bounce back this season, and I think if you look at the draw in the groups, it's certainly one of the tougher ties you can get as a Premiership team.' Livingston recorded a 2-1 away win over East Fife in their first competitive game of the season at the weekend. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
STV News
12-07-2025
- Sport
- STV News
Stuart Kettlewell happy with win after first-half frustration against Brora
Stuart Kettlewell experienced some early frustration in his first game as Kilmarnock boss before overcoming his former club Brora Rangers in a 2-0 Premier Sports Cup group win. On the opening day of the season Killie broke the deadlock against the Highland League side in the 39th minute through 18-year-old debutant Ben Brannan and Djenairo Daniels, the Dutch striker also making his debut, added a second in the 80th minute for three points. Kettlewell, formerly player/assistant manager of Brora, told the Rugby Park club's official X account: 'I think first and foremost we wanted to come and get a clean sheet and win the game. 'There was a lot of frustration in the first half and feeling that we could execute things far, far better than what we did. 'That feeling-out process, when you're playing against the team that is dropping in and killing those spaces in their half, we just have to be a wee bit more slick there. 'We have to trust ourselves to be able to open them up. 'Sometimes I just felt we were just a little bit hesitant in what we were doing. 'Start of the second half, we find ourselves in a position where we created a number of chances and with these types of games, with all due respect, that's the ones that you want to convert and then you probably start to enjoy the rest of the game. 'But that said, I'm still seeing elements that I like. 'I think that out of the games that we've had to this point, it's probably the one that I would be asking much more of the group but as you see round the country, it is not that easy.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
BBC News
10-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Kettlewell has Kilmarnock plan - is it going to work?
Stuart Kettlewell says he has "a clear plan" for Kilmarnock and has started to see it come to reality during pre-season. Now it's time to test it in a competitive fans were initially underwhelmed about the appointment of the former Ross County and Motherwell manager to succeed Hearts-bound Derek more than 5000 turned up to witness long-serving midfielder Rory MacKenzie's testimonial and enthused about the win over local rivals Ayr will now start their season on Saturday away to Highland League champions Brora Rangers in the League Cup group Kettlewell is buoyant about the way his nine summer signings have adapted to the "clear identity" he wants them to have."If you don't have a way you want to play, if you're going to just stumble along and hope we find something... that's your biggest challenge," he said."But if we've been doing our work and our due diligence, which I believe we have done, we should start to see the fruits of our labour."Over the four games in pre-season, I've started to see a lot of bits that I like, but also bits I know will still take a wee bit of time to improve on and to start to click." Who has he brought in? Captain and striker Kyle Vassell and winger Danny Armstrong were among a host of first-team stalwarts who left at the end of the season, while teenage forward Bobby Wales was taken by Swansea their place, fees have been paid for former Livingston goalkeeper Max Stryjek from Jagiellonia Białystok and to bring forward Greg Kiltie back from St defence have come George Stanger from Ayr and Jamie Brandon, who captained Livingston to promotion. Jack Thomson also steps up a league from Queen's Park and is joined in midfield by Scott Tiffoney from Dundee and Tom Lowery from front, they now have Djenairo Daniels, previously of Cork City, and Marcus Dackers from Salford City. Kettlewell - perhaps predictably - says they have all "been fantastic" in buying into his methods. What clues do his Motherwell team give? Kettlewell ended his two years with Motherwell in January citing the effect that abuse from fans was having on him and his team were sitting fifth in the Premiership but had won just once in nine, with a vocal element of the support unhappy at the style of third highest scoring side in the division the previous season had reverted to a counter-attacking style amid a dismal defensive the plus side, Kettlewell has form at developing strikers and selling them on - Ross Stewart at County, then Kevin van Veen and Theo Bair at Fir also gained a reputation for giving youth a chance, with right-back Max Johnston leaving Motherwell for Sturm Graz and teenage duo Lennon Miller and Ewan Wilson now regulars at Fir Park. 'Everyone's behind him now' Kilmarnock podcaster Callum Scott told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast he was "pretty against" Kettlewell's arrival but has been impressed. At the time, his opinion was reflective of the support, with one fans' forum poll of nearly 600 people showing 90% against the appointment. "He's brought in some really good players and looks to have changed the style, which has been quite welcome," Scott said."He's communicated really well, too, and now, everyone's behind him."While Scott says McInnes "left the club in a better place" after winning promotion and consolidating in the top flight, the football was also "at times hard two watch".Instead of crosses from wingers looking to utilise Vassell's physicality through the middle, Kettlewell has been using Kiltie and Tiffoney as twin 10s behind a striker."He has stamped his own style on the team and it certainly seems to be different than he played at Motherwell - they are trying to play from the back," Scott added."We are not going to win every game, but if he can bring entertainment and bring through the young boys, we'll get right behind him." Have your say Kilmarnock fans, what have you made of Kettlewell since his appointment?Do you think a successful season lies ahead?Let us know here
BBC News
10-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Kettlewell confident in his 'clear plan' for Kilmarnock
Manager Stuart Kettlewell insists he has a "clear structure, plan and identity" for Kilmarnock as he prepares for his first competitive match in charge on Ayrshire side begin their League Cup group stage with a trip to Highland League side Brora former Motherwell boss has brought in nine players since joining the club in May and enjoyed a positive pre-season with three friendly wins and one defeat."I think the biggest challenge you've got is if you don't have a plan," said the Killie boss, who will announce his new captain and vice captain to the squad on Thursday."If you don't have a way you want to play, if you've not profiled them, if you're going to just kind of stumble along and hope that you find something, I think that's your biggest challenge."Probably in my nature and how I work, it's always about a clear structure, a clear plan, clear identity of what you want your team to look like."We've been doing our work and our due diligence, so we should start to see the fruits of our labour."Fortunately for us, even in pre-season, I've started to see a lot of bits I like, but also bits I know will still take a wee bit of time to improve on and to start to click."The buy-in from the players so far has been great and I'd probably be sitting here worrying if I didn't see that, but to a man the players have been fantastic that way."
