Alloa Athletic 1 - 0 Livingston: Simmons nets winner

Alloa defied their pre-season tag of relegation favourites by winning their first second-tier game after a ten-year exodus.

Stephen Simmons slammed in the only goal to defeat Livingston, who had Ross Docherty sent off, with Livingston manager Richie Burke criticising referee Bobby Madden for a “horrendous” and “amateurish” performance.

Docherty’s second booking was for a late challenge on Kevin Cawley. It was a deserved second yellow card but a sending-off that was on the cards after an over-zealous display from Madden in the first half. The game itself was scrappy and had few chances. Martin Scott had the ball in the net on 26 minutes only for the midfielder’s close-range effort to be ruled offside.

Livingston couldn’t score when they were on top and they were made to pay at the other end. A quick free-kick down the right sent Cawley into space and his cut-back allowed Simmons to rifle the ball home.

The visitors almost stole a point with two spectacular late efforts. First Coll Donaldson rattled the post from 
the corner of the box before Mark McNulty saw his 25-yard shot tipped wide by keeper Scott Bain.