Ross County 3 - 0 Livingston: McMenamin brace sees off Lions

Published on Sunday 29 January 2012 00:31

Colin McMenamin’s brace helped the First Division leaders Ross County to their first three points of 2012.

His first on 28 minutes followed a corner on the right. Michael Gardyne sent it back in, it was miscued by Rocco Quinn, with Scott Boyd’s follow-up deflected wide – but from an acute angle on the left McMenamin netted.

Early controversy denied County a goal on two minutes. Livingston keeper Andy McNeil fumbled Quinn’s cross under pressure from Scott Boyd, the ball crossed the line, but the goal wasn’t given by referee John McKendrick.

Grant Munro had a busy early spell marshalling the County defence, but a poorly timed challenge on Stefan Scougall on eight minutes allowed Liam Fox a free-kick opportunity.

The midfielder smashed a shot into the County wall, but the defence were slow to clear their lines and Maurice Ross was able to cross from the right, with Iain Russell sliding in at the back post just unable to connect.

A goal down, Livi on 52 minutes saw Kyle Jacobs break forward on the right, and with two pushing forward in support, his cross towards the six-yard box saw Russell racing in, but he couldn’t redirect the ball goalwards.

Munro’s long ball four minutes later almost released Michael Gardyne for a second, but with limited options, the County playmaker passed it back to Iain Vigurs who saw his shot from 18 yards saved.

Gardyne and Quinn made way for Steven Craig and Mark Corcoran on the hour, but still the Dingwall club sought the killer second.

Vigurs shot wide from the edge of the box, with the County midfielder denied as McNeil spilled another attempt, but there were no takers for County on the follow-up.

On 80 minutes, Corcoran saw his thumping 25-yarder tipped over by McNeil in the Livingston goal. However, as the resultant corner was sent in from the left, Munro’s header was spectacularly turned on to the bar by the goalkeeper, only for McMenamin to smash in his and County’s second, and his tenth goal of the season.

On 87 minutes, substitute Sam Morrow added the final flourish, running on to Vigurs’ ball, one-on-one with McNeil, before coolly slotting the ball inside the left post.

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