St. Mirren defenseman Conor McCarthy’s deal brought extra time to extra time
Goalkeeper Max Stryjek’s heroics in beating St. Mirren in the Scottish League Cup were “redemption” after his costly mistake the previous week, says Livingston coach David Martindale.
Stryjek saved Cammy MacPherson and Kyle McAllister as the hosts advanced 4-3 on penalties into the final eight.
Conor McCarthy leveled late after Alan Forrest Livingston took the lead.
Stryjek was the hero who gave Aberdeen a league win a week after fumbling with Jack MacKenzie’s shot in added time.
“He cost us three points but I’ve never thought of replacing him this week,” said Martindale.
“The big man was brilliant. I told him it was a release. He’s a completely different player this season – he’s really become a leader for us.”
Livingston, who finished second at St. Johnstone last season after beating St. Mirren in the semi-finals, is in the quarter-finals for the third straight year.
They took the lead in a close duel in the Premiership when Scott Pitman caught St. Mirren outnumbered and played in Forrest, which ended with sovereignty.
Nevertheless, the guests should have been leading 2-1 at the break. Greg Kiltie missed a ridiculous chance early on, then Eamonn Brophy failed to beat Stryjek from a dozen yards after Livingston’s opening game after being sent through clean.
Jim Goodwin’s men leveled nine minutes left when Scott Tanser rolled in a free kick and Livingston’s defense froze as McCarthy – a replacement for the injured Charles Dunne – swept home in the first half.
Livingston almost won in extra time when Ayo Obileye headed off the post.
St. Mirren goalkeeper Jak Alnwick saved penalties from Keaghan Jacobs and Craig Sibbald.
Man of the Game – Craig Sibbald
The Livingston midfielder stood out with his work on and off the ball
What did you say
Livingston manager David Martindale: “I’m happy for Stryjek. He has become one of the main players and is now one of the first names on the team roster.”
“We had a lot of good chances on the counterattack and didn’t use them. We have to be much more clinical. We sometimes chose the wrong pass and we lack composure.”
St. Mirren Manager Jim Goodwin: “It’s always a tough way to lose. We were at the right end of a few penalties last season, but it’s definitely a painful one.
“We had much better chances in the first half and if we use them it’s a completely different game.”
What’s next?
Both teams will resume the Scottish Premiership next Saturday (3pm BST), with St Mirren to Celtic and Livingston hosting Motherwell.
Constellations
Livingston
formation 4-3-3
32Stryjek
2Devlin5Fitzwater6thObileye3Longridge
18thGet8thPittman10Sibbald
14thBailey9Anderson17thForest
- 32Stryjek
- 2Devlin
- 5Fitzwater
- 6thObileye
- 3LongridgeReplaced byJacobsat 103 ‘protocolBooked at 120 minutes
- 18thGetBooked at 45 minutes
- 8thPittmanBooked at 64 minutes
- 10Sibbald
- 14thBaileyBooked at 57 minutesReplaced byKellyat 62 ‘protocol
- 9AndersonReplaced byPanagiotouat 67 ‘protocolReplaced byShinnieat 78 ‘protocol
- 17thForestReplaced byHamiltonat 66 ‘protocol
substitute
- 1Bards
- 7thJacobs
- fifteenPanagiotou
- 20thReilly
- 22ndShinnie
- 23Hamilton
- 24Kelly
- 40Bartley
St. Mirren
formation 3-5-2
1Alnwick
22ndFraser4thShaughnessy18thDunne
2Tait11Kiltie7thMcGrath16Erhahon3dancer
10Primarily9Brophy
- 1Alnwick
- 22ndFraserReplaced byMcAllisterat 73 ‘protocol
- 4thShaughnessyBooked at 47 minutes
- 18thDunneReplaced byMcCarthyat 27 ‘protocol
- 2TaitReplaced byHendersonat 59 ‘protocol
- 11KiltieReplaced byMacPhersonat 59 ‘protocol
- 7thMcGrath
- 16Erhahon
- 3dancer
- 10Primarily
- 9BrophyReplaced byErwinat 90 ‘protocol
substitute
- 5McCarthy
- 8thFlynn
- 12thHenderson
- 14thMacPherson
- 17thMcAllister
- 19thFinlayson
- 23Erwin
- 25thJack
- 26thLyness
Referee: David Munro
Number of participants: 1,855
Live text
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Match ends, Livingston 1 (4), St. Mirren 1 (3).
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Penalty shootout ends, Livingston 1 (4), St. Mirren 1 (3).
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Penalty saved! Kyle McAllister (St. Mirren) fails to take advantage of this great opportunity, the left foot shot is saved in the lower right corner.
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Gate! Livingston 1 (4), St. Mirren 1 (3). Jason Holt (Livingston) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the top right corner.
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Gate! Livingston 1 (3), St. Mirren 1 (3). Lee Erwin (St. Mirren) converts the penalty with his right foot into the lower left corner.
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Gate! Livingston 1 (3), St. Mirren 1 (2). Ayo Obileye (Livingston) converts a penalty with a right footed shot to the lower right corner.
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Penalty saved! Cameron MacPherson (St. Mirren) fails to take advantage of this great opportunity, the right footed shot is saved in the lower left corner.
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Penalty saved! Craig Sibbald (Livingston) does not take advantage of this great chance, the shot with the left foot is held in the middle of the box.
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Gate! Livingston 1 (2), St. Mirren 1 (2). Joe Shaughnessy (St. Mirren) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the lower right corner.
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Penalty saved! Keaghan Jacobs (Livingston) can’t take advantage of this great chance, the right footed shot is saved in the lower right corner.
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Gate! Livingston 1 (2), St. Mirren 1 (1). Jamie McGrath (St. Mirren) converts a penalty with a right footed shot to the lower right corner.
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Gate! Livingston 1 (2), St. Mirren 1. Sean Kelly (Livingston) converts the penalty kick into the lower left corner with his left foot.
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Missed a penalty! Bad penalty by Curtis Main (St. Mirren) left footed shot misses on the right. Curtis Main should be disappointed.
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Gate! Livingston 1 (1), St. Mirren 1. Andrew Shinnie (Livingston) converts the penalty kick with his right foot into the lower left corner.
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The penalty shoot-out begins at Livingston 1, St. Mirren 1.
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Second half extra time ends, Livingston 1, St. Mirren 1.
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Keaghan Jacobs (Livingston) is shown the yellow card.
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Foul by Keaghan Jacobs (Livingston).
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Kyle McAllister (St. Mirren) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Attempt failed. Jason Holt (Livingston) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
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