Latest news with #RobbieMuirhead
Edinburgh Reporter
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Edinburgh Reporter
May strike seals win for Livingston
Two second-half goals helped Livingston earn a victory at Alloa in their first pre-season challenge. Robbie Muirhead netted from the penalty spot, firing the ball straight down the middle of the goal, to open the scoring at the Indodril Stadium, but Irish-born forward, Connor Sammon, scored for the home side to level seconds from the break after slack defending. Livingston went ahead for a second time when Reece McAlear collected a ball and he scored from 12 yards and Stevie May then scored a spectacular goal, nicking possession near half-way and then sending the ball into the rigging with the goalkeeper struggling to get back for a 3-1 win. Two of David Martindale's summer acquisitions, Connor McLennan and Mo Sylla were given game time and Danny Wilson, who re-signed during the week, was also on duty. The Lions now head for Holland and their training camp when they are scheduled to play two games, the first against Greek, side Aris FC, on Thursday and against Belgian opposition in K V Kortrijk on Saturday. Meanwhile, Label 5 Scotch whisky continue as a men's first-team shirt sponsor for the next campaign. The name of the Bathgate-based business will appear below the player number until the end of the season however they may continue the partnership beyond this term. FLASHBACK: Stevie May scored at Alloa for Livingston on Saturday but he also played for St Johnstone and here he is playing against Hearts. Like this: Like Related
BBC News
20 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Livi kick-off pre-season with a win as Bartley returns
Marvin Bartley took the opportunity to return to the Livingston dugout "with both hands" after conversations with David took place beside Martindale for the first time since returning to the club in Saturday's friendly win against League 1 Muirhead's first-half penalty was cancelled out by opposing forward Connor Sammon, before Reece McAlear and Stevie May secured the win with second-half Lions now head to the Netherlands for a pre-season training camp and Bartley is itching to get stuck into things."First and foremost, we've got to get our fitness levels up," he told club media."That's the important thing when you come back."Get across to Holland, spend seven days with each other and then come back and things will hopefully move seamlessly on."
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Livingston 'deserve' Premiership step-up, says striker as he leaves with his head held high
Stevie May leaves Livingston with his head held high and reckons they deserve another crack at the Premiership. The Lions bounced back to the top-flight at the first time of asking with a play-off win over Ross County, pitching the Dingwall club into the Championship. Advertisement May, 32, who doesn't know where his future lies after his release from a second spell at St Johnstone, says Livi have proved all season that they're good enough to mix it with the big boys. He said: 'Getting promoted is huge for the club, especially with the new owners coming in. 'This club deserves to be in the Premiership, because this team is good enough. 'I've played there for a lot of years and this team feels like a top league team. 'There is so much experience and quality in the dressing room. 'I would think 80 per cent of the players have played in the Premiership, there's no doubting there's the base there to go back up and do well.' Advertisement Livingston were 2-0 down in Dingwall, but goals from Lewis Smith, Danny Wilson, Robbie Muirhead and Tete Yengi completed a stirring fightback at 4-2 on the night and 5-3 on aggregate. May said: 'You have seen in the play-offs before that teams can come back, and these things do happen. 'We've done that all season, to be fair, the boys have some bottle. In the league we came back a few times to win points from those positions, so we always believed we could do it. Experienced striker May scored 10 goals in 45 appearances for Livingston last season -Credit:SNS Group 'This team always keeps going at it, and you could see how strong we were as the game went on.' READ MORE: Livingston ace delighted to play key role in Premiership promotion Advertisement READ MORE: David Martindale would rather quit than have Livingston 'survive' in the Premiership Though he didn't play as often as he would have liked in the last two months, May scored 10 goals in 46 games for David Martindale's side, and the former Aberdeen and Sheffield Wednesday striker enjoyed his time. He said: 'It has been a great season. I just wanted to come here and play. I haven't played as much in the last month or two, but the boys have been doing really well. 'We have gone with a bigger presence up front, and Robbie Muirhead scored some great goals. 'I was just there to do my job when I came on off the bench, and try to make an impact in games. Advertisement 'I've started 30-odd games, won a cup and now won promotion, so it has been a great year.' Livingston celebrated their promotion to the Premiership after beating Ross County in Dingwall -Credit:SNS Group As a St Johnstone fan from Perth, May wasn't happy to see his side relegated at the end of the season, as his contract ends, but said: 'I've been successful there. I've made memories that will last a lifetime.' As for what is next, May didn't close the door on a permanent return to Almondvale. He said: 'I don't know what the future holds. I'll have to see what happens in the next few weeks. May says he'll talk to boss David Martindale and see what his plans are for next season -Credit:SNS Group 'We've all been concentrating on the play-offs, but now they're out of the way I can start to think about it. 'We'll see what the manager says and what he wants to do. 'He's been big on everyone concentrating on the job in hand, then we'd talk about things.'
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Ross County 2-4 Livingston (3-5 on agg): David Martindale's never-say-die Lions roar back into the Premiership
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.
Scotsman
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
More Scottish football play-off drama as promotion secured with help of wonder goal
Lions back in the top flight as Staggies relegated Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Livingston fought back from two-goals down to beat Ross County 5-3 on aggregate and gain promotion to the Scottish Premiership. The play-off had been in the balance going into the second leg in Dingwall after a 1-1 draw in West Lothian last Thursday. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Goals from Josh Nisbet and Ronan Hale had appeared to put Ross County in the driving seat as they looked to avoid relegation to the Championship by winning the play-off for a third successive year. But they were consigned to the second tier as Lewis Smith, Danny Wilson, Robbie Muirhead and Tete Yengi all scored to secure Livi a 4-2 second-leg win that clinched their place back in the Premiership. Tete Yengi scored the fourth goal for Livingston in the Highlands. | SNS Group County opened the night's scoring in the seventh minute. Hale was slipped through on the left channel by Nohan Kenneh. He could have shot from a tight angle, but instead he decided to square it for Nisbet, who was left with a simple finish. Generally when going behind this season Livingston have responded well, and within minutes both skipper Jamie Brandon and Scott Pittman had sights of goal, only to miss the target. But Hale – who scored County's stoppage-time penalty to earn a draw in the first leg – made it 2-0 on the night in the 24th minute. Former County player Stephen Kelly was caught in possession by the striker, who coolly finished past Jerome Prior to double the Staggies' lead. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The visitors pulled one back six minutes before the break through a spectacular solo effort from Lewis Smith, who ran 40 yards before drilling the ball into the bottom corner from a tight angle to make it 2-1 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate. Five minutes after the interval, Nisbet tried taking aim from a similar position to where Smith scored from, but pulled his effort slightly wide. Robbie Muirhead scored a wonder strike to put Livingston in front. | SNS Group However, Livingston levelled the tie in the 57th minute, despite heroics from Jordan Amissah. First the goalkeeper made a save from Muirhead's free-kick that went under the wall, before making a phenomenal reaction save to prevent Wilson, before the defender eventually nodded in at the second time of asking to make it 3-3 on aggregate. Just four minutes later, Muirhead completed a stunning turnaround when he picked out the top corner with a brilliant effort from the corner of the box to put Livingston ahead in the tie. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
