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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Callum Carson

Livingston pay penalty price again in Motherwell draw

Livingston paid the penalty once again as they missed two spot-kicks for the second time in as many weeks and settled for a 1-1 draw at home to Motherwell.

Nicky Devlin saw his 14th minute spot-kick saved by Liam Kelly only for the rebound to be turned home. However, a retake was ordered after Devlin was ruled to have handled before bundling the ball home - with Kelly being off his line. The keeper came out on top the second time round, too, with the Lions having now missed five consecutive penalties.

Morgan Boyes headed home at the back post just before the break to give the hosts the lead - but they couldn't hold on longer than three minutes with Kevin van Veen replying.

The Dutch strike would clatter the crossbar in a second-half almost entirely dominated by the Steelmen but they were unable to find a winner, with Connor Shields also hitting the woodwork.

There was a return to the starting line-up for Shamal George for the first time since before the World Cup break while James Penrice was the only other change as he replaced the suspended Scott Pittman. New signing Steven Bradley had to settle for a place on the bench.

Livi were handed the perfect opportunity to open the scoring on 14 minutes when Ricki Lamie was ruled to have handled Cristian Montano's effort on goal. With the Lions have missed their last three penalties - with different takers each time - Devlin was the next man up.

His strike was saved with Kelly diving to his right before the defender bundled the ball home from the rebound. Cue VAR uncertainty with it taking an age to clarify that the Well keeper had come off his line and Devlin had handled the ball before prodding it home.

That meant a retake and once again the former Livi keeper came out on top as Devlin went the same way - as did Kelly as he parried the spot-kick away.

That unsettled the hosts as they looked shaky all over the park for the remainder of the first-half but they were able to get their noses in front six minutes before the break when Boyes headed home at the back post from a Stephen Kelly free-kick.

They weren't in front for long, though, as George's save from a Sean Goss strike fell kindly to van Veen who duly found the bottom corner for his 12th goal of the season.

While that was the sort of finish you'd expect from the Dutchman, his scoring boots were missing just after the restart when he inexplicably slammed the woodwork when unmarked just four yards out from a Connor Shields cutback. The latter would hit the bar minutes later from a much tighter angle.

Bradley was introduced at half-time and immediately looked a threat every time he got on the ball. His clever cutback just before the hour mark should have led to Livi retaking the lead - only for Stephen Kelly to blaze over the bar.

The final half hour was spent almost entirely in the Livi defensive third but they were able to restrict Motherwell to barely a chance of note and clinch a point that takes them back into the top six.

Livingston: George; Devlin, Obileye, Boyes, Montano (Bradley 45); St. Kelly, Se. Kelly, Shinnie; Bahamboula (Omeonga 59), Anderson (Goncalves 89), Penrice. Subs not used: Konovalov, Hamilton, Longridge, Fitzwater, Cancar.

Goal: Boyes (39).

Missed penalties: Devlin (14, 18)

Motherwell: Kelly; McGinn, Solholm, Lamie, Penney; Slattery, Goss, Spittal; Shields (McKinstry 76), Van Veen, Cornelius. Subs not used: Oxborough, O'Donnell, Maguire, Blaney, Tierney, Speirs, Miller, Ross.

Goal: Van Veen (42)

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