He who laughs last, laughs longest. And on this evidence, David Martindale and his merry band of men may well be laughing all the way back to the Premiership.
Two weeks ago at this very same venue, Partick Thistle pooped a potential Livingston title party with a hard-fought 1-0 win that - coupled with Falkirk’s comeback triumph against Hamilton to clinch The Championship crown - left the home end of this stadium deflated, while the large Jags contingent partied long into the night.
The tables were turned though here, as Livi captain Jamie Brandon’s strike late in the first half settled some early home nerves, and in truth, settled the contest there and then, before Stevie May's clever second half finish added the garnish.
Livingston could hardly have come into this tie in finer fettle. Luxuriating in a two-goal lead from the first leg at Firhill on Tuesday night, they were further buoyed by the news of investment from the great-great-grandson of Henry Ford, no less, the founder of the Ford Motor Company. Laughing again, and this time, all the way to the bank.
It was announced a couple of hours before kick-off that Calvin Ford had become the majority shareholder in the club and its new chairman, with Livi manager Martindale saying that the development had potentially saved the club from reverting to part-time status, particularly if they fail to bounce straight back to the Premiership. They still have the chance to do that, though, and deservedly so.
Now, the tempting thing to do here would be to pad out this report with car puns. Livi are motoring towards the top-flight. Livi fans, start your engines. The Lions slammed the brakes on Partick Thistle’s promotion push. You know the sort of thing. As that pretty much exhausts my material though (oops, another one sneaked in there), let’s move onto the action. And there was plenty of it.
A prerequisite of following Partick Thistle is the possession of an optimistic disposition, and if anything, there were even more Jags fans that made the journey through to West Lothian this time around, even if it was more in hope than expectation.
They were in fine voice from long before kick-off, and when the game got underway, their team responded by flying out of the traps as the startled hosts, despite their advantage, looked like rabbits in headlights.
Thistle, by contrast, looked menacing, but promising attacks too often fizzled out at the last. Co-manager Brian Graham had a couple of sniffs, but couldn’t test Jerome Prior in the Livi goal, while Logan Chalmers looked bright, but the early goal they craved to crank up the pressure failed to arrive.
As a result, slowly, but surely, Livi began to find their feet, and as the interval approached, they found the all-important opener.
It was a curiosity to see Thistle midfield stalwart Stuart Bannigan lining up on the left of the backline in place of 17-year-old Jamie Low, who had so impressed on his debut in the second leg of the previous round against Ayr United.
Perhaps the Thistle management team felt that another 90 minutes in such a short space of time was a stretch for the youngster, or they simply wanted experience in that area, but either way, a lack of understanding and communication between the fish out of water and Dan O’Reilly would cost Thistle, who were all at sea as Livi took the lead on the night.
As Brandon advanced onto a pass down the right, the lilac jerseys of the Jags left him to one another, so that even a heavy touch went unpunished. Undeterred, and unchallenged, the home skipper bought a ticket and won the raffle, as his shot took a deflection and fizzed past Mitchell into the roof of the net.
The only thing left for Thistle to play for in the second period was pride. And they should have plenty of it, despite falling short against a team who looked much the fresher and stronger on the night.
These playoffs have become an annual ritual of emotional torture for the Jags support, careening between wild highs and crushing lows. They always looked like a team who would just fall short this year following a damaging January window, though, and they can now retreat, regroup and hopefully restrengthen ahead of a serious assault at The Championship next term.
And hey, at least it wasn’t penalties this time.
As for Livi, if you will forgive a last tenuous nod to Mr Ford, it is full speed ahead to the Playoff Final. May’s cheeky lob over Mitchell gave the aggregate score an emphatic look, and one that will no doubt have Dundee and Ross County looking nervously in the rear-view mirror.
Neither will relish the challenge of coming here and besting this Livingston outfit over two legs to maintain their top-flight status. After the heartache of relegation last season, it would be a brave man who would bet against Martindale and co having the last laugh again.
