Penalty kicks put Livingston into Petrofac final

LIVINGSTON manager John McGlynn hailed his goalkeeper Darren Jamieson after the penalty-kick expert came up trumps again to send the West Lothian side into April’s Petrofac Training Cup final.

Darren Jamieson saves Anthony Marenghi's penalty to put Livingston through. Picture: SNS

Livingston 1-1 Stranraer

Scorers: Livingston - Glen (66); Stranraer - Longworth (45)

After extra time, Livingston win 5-4 on penalties

With an impressive record of five saves from eight last season, the shot-stopper kept out his fourth of this campaign to deny Stranraer’s Anthony Marenghi and hand the hosts a 5-4 shoot-out win.

During the 120 minutes of exhausting action, substitute Gary Glen levelled for Livingston after Jamie Longworth put the Blues ahead just before the break.

McGlynn, whose side face a wait to discover who they will face in the final – with the other semi-final to be played out between Alloa and the winner of Rangers and East Fife, said: “Darren has done it time and time again.

“It’s not a coincidence or a fluke, he’s good at it.

“Congratulations to him, he’s had another outstanding game and I’m sure he is attracting plenty of attention as well.

“It’s great for the club to be in another final; they won the League Cup in 2004 so it’s our first cup final in ten years. It’s massive.”

Stranraer drew first blood just 60 seconds before the interval with a fine left-footed finish by Longworth from outside the area.

McGlynn introduced Glen on the hour mark and within five minutes, the former Hearts striker brought the hosts level.

Running on to Keaghan Jacobs’ pass, Glen swept a low, left-foot shot into the corner of the net from 25 yards.

After an additional 30 minutes of football could not separate the two combatants, the tie went to penalties. Stranraer substitute Marenghi, who was the match winner in the quarter-final victory over Falkirk, had his decisive spot-kick saved by Jamieson, with the hosts going through thanks to converted efforts by Kyle Jacobs, Myles Hippolyte, Jordan White, Mark Burchill and Jason Talbot.

Livingston: Jamieson, Sives, Talbot, Fordyce, Ky Jacobs, Ke Jacobs, O’Brien, McKenna (98), White, Mullen (Glen 60), Rutherford (Hippolyte 45)

Subs not used: Walker, Ogleby, Robertson, Praprotnik

Stranraer: Mitchell, Gallagher, Longridge (Russell 105), Rumsby, McKeown, Aitken, Winter, Stirling (Stoney 80), Malcolm, Longworth, Gibson (Marenghi 69). Subs not used: Tobin, Forde, McCloskey

Referee: G Salmond.