Livingston 2-2 Queen of the South: Lions roar back

A DRAW might have been the right result at Almondvale yesterday but this game took the scenic route to get there.

Iain Russell opened the scoring for the visitors. Picture: SNS

Queen of the South must be kicking themselves that they allowed a two-goal lead slip from their grasp in the closing nine minutes, but in truth Livingston merited something for a vastly improved second half performance.

Remarkably, John McGlynn’s men managed to salvage a point by ending a goal drought in Championship games that stretched back to 13 September with late strikes from Danny Mullen and Gary Glen.

After an insipid opening half hour where an awful lot of effort was expended and players’ vocal chords strained to very little effect, the game finally sparked to life when Danny Carmichael’s deflected shot was powerfully headed into the net by Iain Russell, pictured, to put the visitors ahead.

While Livingston had the opportunity to strike back almost immediately when the ball fell invitingly for Kyle Jacobs on the edge of the Queens box yet another wayward attempt ensued and the Dumfries side went on to look a much more incisive proposition up to the interval.

Right on the stroke of half-time they so nearly doubled their lead as goal-bound efforts from Mark Kerr, Russell and Gavin 
Reilly were desperately blocked in quick succession by the home defence.

The hosts re-emerged after the break looking far more threatening and within minutes Queens’ goalkeeper Zander Clark had to be at his agile best to tip over a fierce shot from Glen.

A Craig Sives effort was then deflected narrowly wide, but despite this marked improvement, McGlynn’s side were left looking down and out when John Baird paused before sending over a perfectly flighted cross for 
Gavin Reilly to nod beyond Darren Jamieson from ten yards to put the 
Doonhamers two up.

However, Livingston continued to probe and pester the visitors defence and an improbable fightback began thanks to a fine solo run and strike by substitute Mullen after 81 minutes. As full-time loomed they then made it deservedly all square when Glen bundled the ball past Clark at the far post.