Season 'not running away' from Aberdeen says Stephen Glass as Livingston boss David Martindale ponders tackle query after win

Livingston boss David Martindale was left bemused with the number of cards for his team during their 2-1 win over Aberdeen.

Livingston manager Davie Martindale celebrates beating Aberdeen 2-1. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)

Livi moved to within a point of the top six with the win, joining their opponents on 29 points, thanks to a cute first-half strike from Ayo Obileye and an Alan Forrest goal after the interval.

However, for the second game running, the West Lothian outfit finished with ten men. Christian Montano was shown two yellow cards with a further seven players booked.

"I'm delighted with the three points,” Martindale said. “I'm still trying to get my head round how there could be 13 yellow cards in that game. It's incredible. Are you not allowed to tackle anymore?

"I can't believe we walked off the park with eight of my players booked, maybe nine because Christian is a double yellow. For the life of me, I can't get my head round it.

"I think with Christian's second he gave the referee a decision to make. He put his hands on the player and it's a bit of sportsmanship.

"I think he has been naive, especially after I spoke to the boys at half-time and told them they had to watch out because four of them were on yellow cards.

"Aberdeen do that side of the game very well. I'm not saying it's cheating; I don't mean that at all.

"Christian was a little bit naive because you can't put a hand on an opponent when you're on a yellow card.

He added: "I spoke to the boys at half-time and said I thought the next goal wins the game. I told them to go and get the goal. If Aberdeen had got the goal, it could have been backs to the wall.

"I told Alan Forrest he had been brilliant again and all that was missing was a goal. He took his finish really well.

“It was one of those finishes where you tell him it's a brilliant finish. It's one where he dinked it and if he'd missed you go absolutely crazy at him.

"A third goal might have taken my heart rate by 50 beats a minute."

Meanwhile, Aberdeen have not won in the league since returning from the winter break, while they have picked up just two away wins in the Premiership this season.

Glass was frustrated with the team only improving after Christian Ramirez’s 66-minute goal.

"It was poor," he said. We didn't start playing until we were 2-0 down then we showed a reaction that should've been there from the start. The amount of effort that went in after going 2-0 down is the standard that's expected at a minimum but you can't wait till that stage against anyone.

"The last half-hour masked our deficiencies, the approach wasn't good enough until that point. The mentality of a top player is that the game's on the line from the start.

"I don't feel the season's running away from us. As poor as we've been we're fortunate the teams around us aren't winning games either. A lot of teams will be in the same boat as us, thinking they should be doing better."

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