- 2 days ago
Steven Thompson brings you extended highlights of Aberdeen v Livingston, Falkirk v Hibernian and Motherwell against Kilmarnock.
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00:00I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
00:30Good evening and welcome to Sports Scene.
00:41The games keep coming in what is the most captivating season in recent memory.
00:45Just three took place today after Dundee United against St Mirren was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
00:51Stephen Naismith will scrutinise them all shortly.
00:55Kilmarnock haven't won since the 4th of October.
00:57Today they were at Fir Park where no team has scored against Motherwell in the last seven league games.
01:05It was business as usual for Motherwell in the Scottish Cup last weekend with another home win and another clean sheet.
01:13It was also more of the same for Kilmarnock, though not in a positive sense.
01:18A late mistake meaning any chance of arresting a winless run was dropped.
01:22It's now 16 without victory.
01:24Today new boss Neil McCann takes charge of his third match, hoping that is the magic number for points too.
01:31Five changes for Motherwell.
01:33Ward replaces Connolly guarding the net.
01:35Captain McGinn and Longello return at the back with Faddinger and just reinstated two.
01:40New signing Eitor Bjorgolfsson could debut as a sub.
01:45Kilmarnock make three switches.
01:46His ex-Motherwell midfielder Polworth starts along with Lowry and Kilty, who makes his first start of 20-26.
01:54Former Aberdeen goalkeeper Kelly Roosch remains in goal and makes his Kelly Premiership debut.
01:59John Jules sends it forward.
02:10That's a lovely take by Liam Polworth.
02:14He's around the goalkeeper and Liam Polworth scores against his former club.
02:20Neil McCann and the Kilmarnock coaching staff are absolutely delighted with that one.
02:25So many people expecting this to be business as usual for Motherwell at Fur Park this afternoon.
02:32But Liam Polworth ghosting in and it's such a composed finish.
02:38Nick Walsh awaits instruction from VAR.
02:43I'm just wondering if the Motherwell defender on the right side of that back line could be playing Polworth on.
02:50And the goal will not stand.
02:55That is a bitter blow to Kilmarnock and Liam Polworth.
02:58It remains. Motherwell 0-0. Kilmarnock 0-0.
03:10The yellow card shown to Tom Lowry.
03:14A high challenge across the front of Slattery's left shin.
03:18Threaded through for Slattery.
03:24Almost got the bounce in his favour.
03:26This is Faddinger.
03:28Langello supporting.
03:29Faddinger not interested.
03:32Now he is.
03:34Langello.
03:38The layoff for Just.
03:39Slattery back for Just.
03:41Three on goal.
03:42And that is an exquisite finish from Elijah Just.
03:48It's his first goal since scoring against Hips here in November.
03:54And that one makes it Motherwell 1.
03:57Kilmarnock 0.
03:58He's involved right from the start.
04:00Slattery knows quickly where Elijah Just is moving to.
04:04He's been so important for Motherwell this season.
04:08And he will continue to be.
04:13Dakers.
04:17Scans the options.
04:18Shrugs off the challenge.
04:20And another.
04:23Just commits.
04:25Kilmarnock get the free kick.
04:26The header.
04:34Off the crossbar.
04:36Tyrese John-Jules.
04:38So close to an equaliser.
04:42Another big Kilmarnock moment.
04:45That's another powerful header.
04:47Tyrese John-Jules is just hoping it clips off the underside and drops beyond the line.
04:52Tyrese John-Jules.
04:58Donnell lifts forward.
05:01Headed away by Dees but only to Tawanda Maswanese.
05:06Kelaru stops.
05:09Maswanese starting to get chances now.
05:12It's looking from range there.
05:13Just trying to tuck it in beside the post.
05:15Kelaru stops with a strong left hand.
05:20Work for Just.
05:22It's a wonderful pass for Saeed.
05:26He's all alone in that left wing.
05:30Now he has company.
05:32Just going for goal.
05:35Why not?
05:36He takes a sore one late on the left leg.
05:39But Kilmarnock are just struggling to handle Elijah Just at times.
05:43Well, Nick Walsh is going straight to his pocket.
05:54And Tom Lowry already shown a yellow card in this first half.
05:59It's now a second yellow.
06:01That's a red.
06:02And it's another red card for Kilmarnock.
06:05Three now in the space of a week.
06:06He's stretching as Maswanese moved into the centre circle.
06:11And Neil McCann has some adjusting to do again.
06:14Motherwell moved quickly here.
06:16Sparrow.
06:17Maswanese!
06:17And Tawanda Maswanese keeps people talking.
06:24Four goals in four games since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations.
06:30A double blow for Kilmarnock.
06:33And just as Kilmarnock are trying to change things up, being reduced to ten men,
06:38Motherwell punish.
06:40And it's a superb goal.
06:42A fabulous strike from Maswanese.
06:45Roos had no chance.
06:46Motherwell two.
06:47Kilmarnock now.
06:52John Jules with the layoff.
06:56Larsson blocked.
06:58Faddinger goes for goal.
07:00Roos solid.
07:02And making that save.
07:03Space for Lucas Faddinger.
07:05Faddinger gives it back to Priesman.
07:18Receives again from Faddinger.
07:20Langello bullets the ball across.
07:22And it's Saeed to apply the finish for number three.
07:28Motherwell remain patient and pick their moment.
07:31Saeed scores his second in the Premiership this season.
07:38And it's looking like a long afternoon for Kilmarnock now.
07:41The cross from Langello.
07:44Was lined up to perfection.
07:46And it's an easy finish.
07:49The score is 3-0.
07:52Saeed looks to push the Kilmarnock captain away.
07:55John Jules gets it through to Lyons.
08:05And Ward on hand to make a big save.
08:09He's not had a great deal to do in the second half.
08:12But he had to be alert there.
08:13Stamatilopoulos takes.
08:22A lovely touch.
08:23Kutrumbus for Faddinger.
08:26Now Slattery.
08:31Slattery who takes again.
08:33Sets up Priesman.
08:36Who delays.
08:37Gets the strike through.
08:38Bjorg Olsen.
08:39And it's in.
08:42From Lucas Faddinger.
08:44His first Premiership goal for Motherwell.
08:48Another gem recruited by Motherwell for this season.
08:53Another name on the score sheet.
08:56And it's Motherwell 4.
08:57Kilmarnock 0.
08:59And that's still a tidy finish from that angle.
09:01In off the post.
09:03A sweet strike from Faddinger.
09:05And Lucas Faddinger has Motherwell free-flowing again.
09:12And there is the full-time whistle at a blissful Furpark.
09:19Motherwell's momentum rolls on.
09:22It finishes at Furpark.
09:25Motherwell 4.
09:27Ten-man Kilmarnock 0.
09:28I think we started bright.
09:32And then we switched off for a second.
09:35And the ball was in the back of the net.
09:37And we were lucky to be saved by a very, very, very sharp offside that went our way.
09:46And then they had one of the cross balls when we were 1-0 up.
09:49But I think after that, after that disallowed, I think we really stepped on the pedal and didn't look back.
09:58And played some fantastic stuff on a pitch you wouldn't expect us to.
10:03So I'm really impressed with the quality and the tempo that we could play with out there under those circumstances.
10:09I felt we were a better side in the first part of the game.
10:16The offside goal is not what kills us today.
10:20It's so marginal, though.
10:22I mean, it looks like guesswork.
10:24We've got another still.
10:25It looks like Pauly's just on with Sparrow's shoulder.
10:29But that's gone against us.
10:31But what has hurt us today is a red card.
10:34Two challenges.
10:34And the first one, what I'm hearing is it's reckless.
10:37I can't see anything reckless in it whatsoever.
10:40The boy's just turned round to a bouncing ball.
10:43And it's an innocuous, I think he's caught him in the toe.
10:45What I will say is I don't see a dressing room that chucked it today.
10:49They fought.
10:50They had to change it a couple of times tactically.
10:53I'm sorry to the commandant fans who came here.
10:55They were excellent in getting us behind us.
10:57And I feel sorry for them that they saw a team who was so good up until the red card succumb to that defeat.
11:04Another win and clean sheet for Motherwell.
11:08Another disappointing day for Kilmarnock-Steven.
11:11They did start the match well, as Neil said there.
11:15And Prowth had the ball in the net.
11:16And it was such a tight decision, wasn't it?
11:19Yeah, they were brave.
11:20They started with a back four, a dime in the midfield and two strikers.
11:23And at the early parts of the game, they did.
11:26You could see they'd worked in their game plan.
11:28This is so tight.
11:29And I think it's so unfortunate.
11:31I think you feel it more when you're at the bottom of the league and you're fighting for every point.
11:34When you feel these decisions are all going against you, it's extremely tight.
11:39As a forward, I'd be raging if that's called offside.
11:42But as Neil McCann said there, that's not what stopped them today.
11:47But it would have been a great start for them.
11:48And I think when you're at the bottom of the league, you're fragile.
11:51They seem to go against you when you're down there, don't they?
11:53Yeah, and all these decisions do.
11:54And as we're going to see with the red card, they do feel as if they're piling up against you.
11:59But it's tough for them.
12:01It's really tough at the moment.
12:02It certainly is.
12:03Elijah Just, he got the first goal for Motherwell.
12:07His season has been superb for Motherwell.
12:11Quality player, quality goal, but should be defended better by Kelly.
12:15Yeah, excellent player.
12:16Real good addition to the league.
12:18But this sums Motherwell up as a team.
12:21They're so confident.
12:22They're so well drilled.
12:23It's constantly probing.
12:25Forward run creates space for somebody else to come into the pocket.
12:28Forward run creates a big bit of space on the edge of the box.
12:31And then at this moment, against a low block, you need people to disrupt that back line.
12:37This little one too, sucks the centre half out Brown, and it's a brilliant finish.
12:42But that is, it looks easy, but it's really hard to do against a low block.
12:46So it's a great, great goal.
12:47It's the continual movement, isn't it, off the ball that's creating the space for them.
12:51But you can see it.
12:51You can see every player understanding, oh, I've got to make this forward run,
12:55which creates this next piece of space for somebody else to come in.
12:57Tom Lowry sent off for two yellows.
12:59Neil obviously explaining there how disappointed he was with the decisions.
13:04Do you think either or both are yellow cards?
13:07I can see his frustration.
13:09And that one, for me, I don't think it's a card.
13:11I think it's an honest, trying to stop him breaking the line effectively and brings him down.
13:16Don't think it could be a yellow card.
13:18This one, I think, can.
13:21I can understand why, because it looks reckless, but he's no made big contact with him.
13:26He's tripped him up effectively.
13:28Again, the bit of nous as a player, you can't go in like that when you're on the yellow.
13:31I think that's a harsh yellow.
13:32I know, yeah, I completely get that.
13:34Don't go into the challenge if you've already been booked, but I find that one quite harsh.
13:37See, overall, I think they both are unfortunate.
13:39And then, to compound it, Neil McCann's given instruction to his forward players.
13:43And I heard him speaking about this in an interview after the game.
13:45And they're not set up.
13:48But, again, the defending can be done better.
13:51There's one guy in the box, the most deadly guy in the Premier League with Shankland.
13:55Just be tight to him.
13:57Just be as tight as you can.
13:59Don't allow him that space to get the shot off.
14:01Because if he does get the shot off, inevitably he's going to score.
14:0316 goals now, all in for Mass Manisi.
14:0617 if you include his goal in the AFCON.
14:11For Motherwell, one game they've lost in their last 15 Premiership matches.
14:14He's 10 clean sheets.
14:16The supporters won't want this season to end.
14:18It's just like a dream for them.
14:20It's absolutely incredible.
14:21It's brilliant.
14:21And to think the manager came in in the summer.
14:24The transition's been incredible.
14:26I think they've been the story of the season in terms of the way they play.
14:29It's an excellent performance.
14:30And for Kilmarnock, it's probably the worst team to play against with 10 men.
14:34Because they're so good with their movement, their forward passes, and great win for them.
14:38It certainly was that.
14:39John McGlynn's Falkirk welcome Hibbs now, as David Gray demands a response
14:43following their disappointing Cup exit last weekend.
14:46Falkirk make a couple of changes following that dramatic penalty shootout win at Tynecastle
14:52with Keelan Adams replacing the injured Philip Lisa at right back
14:56and young Kyrell Wilson patrolling the right flank
14:58with Henry Cartwright dropping to the bench.
15:01Illness, injury and a shot Cup exit in Dunfermline
15:04equate to five changes in the Hibbs line-up.
15:06Hanley and Iredale come in at the back.
15:08Barlazer and Chaiwa into midfield with Martin Boyle
15:11partnering Kieran Bowie up top.
15:15Hanley back in the team for Hibbs today and back to his goalkeeper.
15:20Oh, it's poor from Salinger.
15:21Can Falkirk take advantage?
15:23Calvin Miller.
15:25Some good defending there from Busceery and again from Busceery.
15:29Well, Calvin Miller and Falkirk will feel they maybe should have done better there.
15:32There could still be an opportunity for the home side, though,
15:35in these opening minutes.
15:36In comes the delivery, but it's way too strong.
15:44Calvin Miller with a brilliant chance to put Falkirk ahead.
15:48That's poor from the goalkeeper.
15:49And Miller giving the space to shoot.
15:52One block from Busceery and another.
15:54Good defending.
16:01He will Chaiwa.
16:04Chance here for Obita.
16:05Can he get the shot away?
16:07Great diving challenge from Captain Brad Spencer.
16:11Hibbs first corner, but it could have been even better.
16:14Good connection from Obita.
16:16That's a good block from Spencer.
16:24Connor Allen for Falkirk.
16:26Finn Yates to Calvin Miller.
16:35Good cross.
16:35Must be.
16:36The early goal comes for Falkirk.
16:38Barney Stewart's not going to miss from there.
16:41Well, that goal was coming.
16:43The football was patient.
16:46The finish was clinical.
16:47Hibbs might be asking, where was the defending?
16:52It's going exactly to plan for the manager.
16:56Miller's delivery.
16:58Oh, is he offside?
17:00Well, he might just have mistimed that run.
17:03VAR will have a look at this one.
17:07Calvin Miller's delivery was perfect.
17:10He couldn't miss from there, but will this stand for Falkirk?
17:16It's obviously a close call.
17:18Some instructions for referee Don Robertson.
17:26Goal.
17:27Goal, Falkirk.
17:29Well.
17:32Barney Stewart gets his goal.
17:35The home fans are delighted.
17:38And the Bairns are in front.
17:40Jordan Obita's delivery.
17:49Header comes in.
17:50Good save, Scott Bain.
17:55Goalkeeping intervention.
17:57Keeps his side ahead.
17:58Goal.
18:10Keelan Adams for Falkirk.
18:11Real chance here for number two.
18:13He's just tried to be too cute there.
18:16Frustration for the right back.
18:19And another big chance for Falkirk.
18:22He didn't deal with the long ball.
18:24And when it came to Keelan Adams,
18:27he was just trying to curl it to the right corner.
18:34Calvin Miller.
18:35Good strike.
18:36Good save.
18:37Salinger.
18:37He had to be very sharp there.
18:41The Austrian goalie.
18:43Miller could see the bottom corner.
18:46Falkirk building nicely from the back once again.
18:49Stewart with the touch.
18:51Calvin Miller's done brilliantly there.
18:53Promising once again for Falkirk.
18:56To Stewart.
18:57What a lovely goal that is.
19:00Falkirk double up.
19:02And it's a double for Barney Stewart.
19:04Fine finish from Stewart.
19:10Oh, now, was that out of play?
19:12Well.
19:15Beautiful football from Falkirk.
19:18But I wonder if that had just gone out.
19:20Falkirk won't care, though.
19:21It hasn't been awarded.
19:23It's Falkirk 2, Hibbs 0.
19:24Miguel Chaiwa for Hibbs.
19:32It's a nice looking ball to Martin Boyle.
19:37Boyle's delivery is a good one.
19:39Bean punches.
19:40Still some work for Falkirk to do.
19:43And Dylan Tate says safety first.
19:45He's considered a corner there because he didn't know what was behind him.
19:48Hibbs starting to build up a little head of steam, you sense.
19:57As Jordan Obita delivers.
20:00Chance there.
20:02Hibbs have one back.
20:04Is it Rocky Bashiri claiming the goal?
20:06Falkirk won't be happy with the defending.
20:08But Hibbs have a lifeline.
20:10And it's come from Rocky Bashiri.
20:13Obita's corner.
20:15And the header is good and true from Rocky Bashiri.
20:28Nice header from McCann.
20:30Calvin Miller.
20:32Loads of space for Miller to run into.
20:34Gives the ball back.
20:36Oh, the tackle there is a rash one.
20:39And that's going to be a free kick in a really dangerous area.
20:45Miller taking a sore one there.
20:51Falkirk with a chance maybe to put the game beyond Hibbs.
20:55Calvin Miller.
20:57Really good save from Raphael Salinger.
21:01He's been excellent today, Calvin Miller.
21:03The goal has been pretty good as well.
21:04A couple of good saves.
21:06Miller back to Spencer.
21:12It's a better delivery.
21:13Henderson's there.
21:15Chance for Falkirk.
21:17Kyle Wilson's effort.
21:19Blocked away, I think, by Mirol Chaiwa.
21:23Good header from Henderson.
21:25Plenty of power in that shot.
21:27And it was actually Ellie Yuan who got the block in.
21:29Another Falkirk corner.
21:32Colin Miller's delivery is a good one.
21:35Inches away from goal number three there.
21:38That's Connor Allen, who's taking a bit of a sore one.
21:41And Yates invites the run from Powell Wilson, who's just shoulder barged away by Wachibushiri.
21:57But Hibbs have given it away.
21:58Chance for the hat-trick for Stewart.
21:59Oh, just, just can't quite find the target.
22:05And you can see tomorrow's headlines.
22:07Could Barney Stewart?
22:09Not to be.
22:10Ethan Ross to Spencer.
22:20Louis Marsh.
22:21And a third for Falkirk.
22:24And that should be that.
22:27Hat-trick for Barney Stewart.
22:30The art of the striker being in the right place at just the right time.
22:46And a few of the Hibbs fans have lost hope.
22:52Falkirk's still pressing.
22:54Maybe they fancy a fourth.
22:57They can.
22:58Louis Marsh.
23:00It's Marsh.
23:01Oh, that's gone all the way in.
23:04Well, Louis Marsh is celebrating what he thinks is his first goal for the club.
23:08But I wonder, is that a Grant Hanley own goal?
23:11The Falkirk fans don't care.
23:13They are 4-1 up.
23:15Let's have a look here.
23:17Marsh does well.
23:18And that's just a fresh air swipe from Hanley.
23:21But I think it comes off the edge of Hanley's boot and past his own goalkeeper.
23:25The mistake from Hanley.
23:27The fourth goal for Falkirk.
23:28And the game is done and dusted.
23:32Barney, a hat-trick today.
23:33Another three points.
23:34How does that feel?
23:36Incredible.
23:37Obviously, you couldn't ask for more from that game.
23:40But the three points especially is so big at this stage.
23:43We're now two points behind Hibs and we're getting away from the teams below us.
23:48So, I'm sure the gaffer and everyone else will be absolutely abusing with that.
23:51It was a very impressive display.
23:53Outstanding football.
23:54Great goals.
23:55And very pleasing.
23:57Potentially possibly could have had more goals.
23:59We're not going to be too greedy.
24:00The performance was outstanding.
24:04Our football was sublime at times.
24:07The goals that we scored are all really good, well-worked goals.
24:10Delighted for Barney.
24:11I mean, obviously, he scores a hat-trick.
24:13It doesn't happen, you know, very often.
24:16Got exactly what we deserved out of the game today.
24:18Second best all over the pitch.
24:19I thought, Falkirk, I don't want to take anything away from them by saying how poor we were.
24:24Because we were really poor in every way.
24:26Second best in every duel.
24:28Second best as a match-up against your opponent.
24:31Didn't win one, I don't think.
24:32Out of 11, if you do that, you can't win games of football.
24:35I thought they played the conditions better.
24:36I thought they were more aggressive.
24:38Outworked us.
24:39And when you do that, you can't win games of football.
24:41And from our point of view, and for this football club, it's not good enough.
24:45Not good enough indeed.
24:47No response from Hibbs, even as Falkirk battered and bettered them in pretty much every department today.
24:52They did.
24:53I would go as far as saying it was up there with one of the best team performances of the season.
24:57It was excellent from a team who have gradually built every year.
25:01They've not had big changes.
25:03You can see it led by a brilliant manager in the core of the team is excellent.
25:07It is.
25:08I mean, probably could have clipped up about a dozen good bits of play or brilliant bits of play from Falkirk,
25:13as John McGlynn was pointing out in his post-match interview there.
25:15But here's just a couple that you've selected.
25:18Yeah, the forwards get the plaudits and they're an attacking team.
25:20But it all starts from the back three.
25:23And that's the goalie in the two centre-halves.
25:25Henderson, Allen, with Bane in the middle.
25:27They build up in a three, giving them an overload.
25:30And that's even when pressure's coming, they know what they're doing.
25:33You look at Tate and Spencer in the middle.
25:36Hibbs are being aggressive with their press here.
25:38But because Falkirk know what they want to do, they know the way to pass, they know the line of pass to play,
25:44it becomes very easy for them.
25:46And it looks very easy.
25:47And here you've got a beat-up halfway in the pitch, getting 2v1 in the outside.
25:52And that's all came for that back three in the build.
25:54And it was the same.
25:55It's the same every week.
25:56You see here, there's more aggressive pressing.
25:58There's not a lump up the pitch here.
26:00Everybody understands where they need to be, where they need to receive the ball,
26:05and then when to play forward.
26:06It's excellent.
26:07Hibbs, again, loads of bodies forward in the press, two passes to go through them,
26:13and then it becomes a 4v3 in the attack, which is excellent.
26:17And that only comes from hard work.
26:19You see it all the time.
26:20I mean, it looks like Hibbs are pressing from the front there and being aggressive.
26:27Should you not play against Falkirk that way?
26:29Is that what they're wanting you to do?
26:31Because then when they pop it two or three passes, they're by about five players,
26:34and then they're on to the next.
26:35Well, you know they're a good team building up, so your press needs to be excellent.
26:38And that's the conundrum.
26:40It's like, Motherwell, the conundrum is do we high press and risk getting played through,
26:43as we've just seen, or you sit deep and try and counter them.
26:46So today, Hibbs had an aggressive press.
26:48Motherwell, Falkirk, we're just much better at getting through it.
26:50We certainly knew how to get through it today.
26:52What a day for Barney Stewart.
26:54A hat-trick for him.
26:56A couple of them were quite easy finishes, but his all-round performance, again,
26:59brilliant, leading the line for Falkirk.
27:01Everybody's talking about his story, and it's great.
27:03He's fought and fought and fought to get his chance at professional game,
27:06and he's taken it.
27:08The biggest compliment I can play him is,
27:10every goal he scores, every time the ball's wide on the final third,
27:13he's in the box, he's the width of the goal,
27:16his movement's like a striker, and he gets his rewards.
27:20Again, the back three build.
27:21Very tight.
27:22Very tight.
27:23This is up there for team goal of the season for me.
27:26A 4v3, there's that overload that I was talking about.
27:28But as the ball then gets through, played through,
27:31the deep midfielder, I think it's Tate this time,
27:34receives the ball, which gives him the advantage,
27:36and then it goes forward again.
27:37You've got a 3v2 in attack now.
27:39You've wiped out the whole midfield.
27:40It's excellent.
27:42But every single player understands what's happening next,
27:46and that's why it works.
27:47But again, Stewart getting in the middle of the goal,
27:50waiting for the ball to come across,
27:51and what a calm finish.
27:53What a calm finish.
27:54And then to top it off,
27:56brilliant team goal again.
27:57There's no rush, there's no panic.
27:59They get in the final third.
28:00Nice square.
28:01It may not score an easier hat-trick,
28:02but what a hat-trick.
28:04Any hat-trick's good.
28:05Exactly.
28:05You need to be in the position.
28:06And watch it and watch it and watch it,
28:08because they're amazing.
28:09Hard to do,
28:09and it's amazing for them.
28:11I'd agree.
28:12The thing about Falkirk is,
28:14they look like they believe
28:15they are where they should be in the league.
28:18Top half of the Premiership.
28:20And that confidence,
28:22and that swagger,
28:23and that belief,
28:24can only help them.
28:25It comes from the spine.
28:26It comes from Tate,
28:27Spencer,
28:28Henderson,
28:29the spine of the team.
28:31It comes from that,
28:32and it's an excellent built club at the moment.
28:34It is indeed.
28:36By the law of averages,
28:37Livingston are due a win.
28:38And would it be today,
28:39against Aberdeen at Pittaudry?
28:42Two teams on dreadful runs.
28:45One slightly worse than the other.
28:47Aberdeen are winless in their last six in the league.
28:50Livy haven't won since August.
28:52The Dons hand a first start to a former Celtic team,
28:54Mitchell Frame.
28:55He comes in at left back.
28:56Mats Kanuster,
28:57Graeme Shinney,
28:58and Kenan Bilalovic,
28:59are the other changes.
29:01Livingston swap two from the midweek draw with St Mirren.
29:04Samson Lowell and Stevie May come in,
29:06with Guinea-Bissot left back Babakar Fatih in the squad for the first time.
29:09The fourth match in charge for interim boss,
29:14Peter Leaven.
29:14Still looking for a first league win.
29:17It's deflected over the bar.
29:19It will be an Aberdeen corner,
29:22despite Livingston's protestations.
29:24And Ross Hardy speaking to the VAR here.
29:30Is there a handball there by Joshua Brené?
29:35Curacao International.
29:36Nothing given.
29:38Cameron floats the corner in,
29:40comes all the way through to Bilalovic!
29:42And he stabs home at the back post.
29:45Bundling Aberdeen into the lead.
29:47Inside the first ten minutes.
29:49Pretty disorganised and soft defending,
29:54frankly, from Livingston.
29:56Bilalovic makes the most of it.
29:57His third goal in the league for Aberdeen.
30:00And only his third league start as well.
30:05There's been a fast start from the Dons.
30:10Armstrong clips through to Nisbet.
30:11He's one-on-one!
30:13And he finds the bottom corner!
30:16A superb finish from Kevin Nisbet.
30:19And the VAR is going to have a look at this.
30:23There's no lines being drawn.
30:25Ross Hardy will have to make the decision himself.
30:30He's spoken to both the captains,
30:32and it's offside!
30:34Aberdeen's second goal won't stand.
30:37Kevin Nisbet can't understand.
30:40Has he gone just a shade too early there?
30:42He's gone just a window.
30:50Livingston trying to come forward.
30:52They win the free kick off, Jack Mill.
30:55They take the opportunity to launch this
30:58towards the Aberdeen box.
31:01It's flicked on.
31:03Not dealt with.
31:04The shot comes in.
31:05It could drop for Mamamedou Sosouhou.
31:07And he finds a leveller for Livingston.
31:12Well, it's quite against the run of play.
31:16But yet again, Aberdeen defending set pieces has been a problem.
31:22They did not get that one clear.
31:25And Sosovo just ghosted in.
31:29And was able to steer the ball past Mitov.
31:37And Pataudry fairly stunned by that.
31:42And Aberdeen have another free kick to try and defend here.
31:50That's Stevie May, the former Aberdeen man, to swing in.
31:53Oh, there's Conor McLennan, Mitov can only parry it to Muirhead,
31:57and he sticks it away.
32:00And in the space of a couple of minutes, this game has turned on its head.
32:07There will be an offside check as Peter Lieven looks to the heavens.
32:13He won't find any support there.
32:16Livingston's second goal stands.
32:19Robbie Muirhead fires them in front.
32:22His second goal in two games.
32:25Shinnie out wide, Aberdeen desperate for a response.
32:34Deep in two, added on time in the first half.
32:37Frame with the ball in, Nisbet with the finish.
32:40There is the response.
32:42Livingston's lead doesn't last all that long.
32:46It's a brilliant ball in from young Mitchell Frame.
32:51On a plate for Kevin Nisbet, he couldn't miss from there.
32:55No doubts about offside this time.
32:58Aberdeen in the ascendancy.
33:03Coming forward again.
33:08Keskinen, lovely footwork.
33:11He gets the ball back.
33:12There's Nisbet in the middle again!
33:14The Dons at the double.
33:19And Kevin Nisbet has them both.
33:22They sting Livingston in this topsy-turvy first half.
33:28At the break, they will certainly have the lead.
33:35Stevie May thought about trying to get the ball away.
33:38Instead, he's played it right back to the referee.
33:42And it will be a drop ball.
33:49Ross Hardy just pausing the play.
33:51And trotting towards the dugouts.
33:53This could be trouble.
33:55The red card is out, and David Martindale is off.
33:58He said something that the fourth official hasn't agreed with.
34:02As he tries to bring on Jeremy Bakila.
34:04And he will be sent up into the stands.
34:09Livingston, winless in their last seven against Aberdeen.
34:14And now their manager's been sent off.
34:16Can Jeremy Bakila come on and make an impact?
34:20And Bartley watching on.
34:22Oh, and something's broken out here, and it's all a little bit testy.
34:36Jeremy Bakila right in the face of Graham Shinney there as well,
34:40and Ryan McGowan is having to pull the striker away.
34:44He's only just come on, he's been on the pitch for about five minutes.
34:48The 37-year-old incensed at something.
34:51There was a clash with Jack Milne.
34:53You can see it on the right-hand side of your screen there.
34:55A bit of pushing and shoving.
34:57And a real bit of argy-bargy.
35:02It's a little bit more.
35:05And both players will be sent off, both sides down to ten men.
35:09Jack Milne and Jeremy Bakila both off, and Graham Shinney furious about that.
35:15He's gone into the book as well.
35:17Sivert, Hilton and Nilsson coming on amid the Maelstrom.
35:23Stevie Martindale watches on.
35:27He's not the only red card today at least.
35:29Toffee Keskin in.
35:31Mitchell Frame on the overlap, that's where it goes.
35:35Frame with the low ball in.
35:37Cleared at the front post by Danny Finlayson.
35:39Livingston on the ropes.
35:41They've not done too much in this second half.
35:47Stuart Armstrong with the corner.
35:51To the back post there, Sivert Hilton and Nilsson.
35:55And he makes it four.
35:57And with just 15 minutes remaining, that might be all three points secured for Aberdeen.
36:03Is there a shove there from Hilton and Nilsson on Danny Finlayson?
36:13Livingston appealing for it.
36:15Meanwhile, Aberdeen bringing on Toyosio Lasagna for his debut, a former St. Aaron man.
36:24Playing their way out of trouble.
36:26Mitchell Frame involved again.
36:28He's been very impressive on his full debut.
36:32Sineen to Keskinnen.
36:37He runs through a gap and keeps going and it's opening up for Keskinnen now.
36:43It's deflected and it's in.
36:46A fabulous fifth for Aberdeen.
36:49But how easy was that made for them?
36:52The Livingston defence in complete disarray.
36:55No one got near to Toffee Keskinnen before he got that shot away.
37:00One shot away.
37:07Brené under pressure and he gives the ball away.
37:10Keskinnen going forward.
37:11Can he add insult to injury? Yes, he can.
37:16That makes it six for Aberdeen.
37:18The Livingston defence.
37:20Completely shambolic.
37:21It's been pandemonium at Pitodre.
37:22And Toffee Keskinnen reaps the rewards.
37:23He gets his double.
37:24He makes it Aberdeen six.
37:25Livingston two.
37:26I challenged them last week against Rafe.
37:39We had lots of chances to score.
37:41We worked on it in this week.
37:43Implement what I want.
37:45And again we could have scored more.
37:47And the double red card in the second half.
37:50Justified?
37:51I've not seen a replay.
37:52At the time I just thought the two of them were grabbing each other.
37:55The fourth official said to me both hands were round the neck of each other.
37:59But again, I've not seen it back.
38:01But if that's the rules now, that's the rules.
38:03The game was just really chaotic.
38:05And I think it came from the refereeing.
38:07From the first minute to the last minute.
38:09It's the reason I found myself on the red card.
38:12And I've got to take responsibility for that.
38:14But it was difficult at that moment, at that time.
38:17I've got a 37 year old striker in there crying.
38:20So I'll need to go and try and get to the bottom of that one.
38:23And then I think it was just a wee bit.
38:25It was like real chaos after that.
38:274-2, we're still trying to win the game.
38:305-2, we're still trying to win the game.
38:32Unorganised chaos at times.
38:35Defending, very, very poor.
38:38And I think you take accountability for that.
38:41A much needed win for Aberdeen.
38:44Eight goals at Petaudry in a match laden with incident Stephen.
38:49But how much confidence will scoring six goals give those Aberdeen players,
38:53given their recent league form?
38:54Yeah, they've been criticised for their forward playing
38:56and not having as big a threat as they should
38:58for the quality they've got in their squad.
39:00Today we've seen that quality in action.
39:03I think Armstrong's progressed and constantly become a more important player.
39:08Lyle Cameron coming in has done really well as well.
39:11And Nisbet, when he's scoring goals, is a very good finisher.
39:14I think we've seen all that in today's performance.
39:17Yeah, it was a good performance from Aberdeen.
39:19They took the lead in nine minutes.
39:20Bilalovic with his third Aberdeen goal.
39:22Well worked.
39:23Yeah, it's good play.
39:24But I think if you look at the players involved, this is the one that was offside.
39:32Armstrong with a quality pass.
39:34Nisbet with a quality bit of movement and a great finish.
39:37Very, very tight, I must add.
39:40But the all-round attacking play, in the first 15 minutes especially, was what I think Aberdeen fans expect from their team.
39:48So the referee was sent to the monitor for this one because they couldn't get the lines on...
39:53Yeah, they couldn't get the lines to determine whether it was, so he gets to see because they thought it was factually offside.
40:00Which, again, I think is debatable.
40:03They take the lead in that period when they're doing well and they're on top and it's probably what they want.
40:08But the first half didn't play out that way.
40:11No, it didn't.
40:12Obviously Livy then scored two goals, got themselves in front, but they didn't keep their concentration as they went into injury time
40:20and that first half period, the time married on and they lost two cheap goals.
40:24But Kevin Nisbet being what he should in the middle of the goals and good play again from Aberdeen.
40:29Yeah, I think the two goals are great quality.
40:33I must say for Aberdeen, frame left back, making his league debut was excellent.
40:37Yeah.
40:38But this is Kevin Nisbet at his best.
40:41It's Aberdeen playing good attacking football, getting bodies forward, using their quality.
40:48And the goals look simple, middle of the goal, similar to Falkirk.
40:52The striker in the middle of the goal, easy finishes.
40:54Yeah, yeah.
40:55But every part of the goal is good quality.
40:57And that's why Aberdeen are sitting mid-table because they've not done this consistently.
41:01And I dated it like today, they do it.
41:03They have got, you know, the nucleus of a good strong squad.
41:08They've invested a lot.
41:09They have invested a lot in it and they have underperformed.
41:12But I suppose today they showed how good they can be, the progress at least.
41:17Yeah, definitely.
41:18And that's also on the back of the two goals going down 2-1.
41:22Yeah.
41:23How you're going to react at home.
41:24So the performance for Aberdeen was excellent.
41:26Good goals, a good amount of goals.
41:27But that's the threat we expect.
41:28Right.
41:29Millen and Bakila sent off in this Ramy.
41:32We'll call it a Ramy.
41:33I didn't see anything that warrantied a red card, did you?
41:36No, far right here.
41:37They come together, striker centre half giving a bit of argy-bargy.
41:42And every camera angle, I must say, is not perfect.
41:45So you don't see full in.
41:47But this is just two guys, frustration, thinking, trying to get the better of their opposition.
41:54I didn't see enough in it to suggest either of them sent off.
41:57No.
41:58And I don't think either any team would ideally like their players sent off.
42:01It doesn't help any of the teams.
42:03No.
42:04I do think that Ross Hardy probably will learn from this day's game.
42:08Aha.
42:09You see that sort of thing happening pretty much every second weekend in one game across the card.
42:15You know, just a bit of kind of pushing and shoving from centre forwards, centre halves.
42:20Could VAR have looked at it and said, downgrade the Reds to a yellow and send them to the monitor?
42:26Because I didn't see enough to suggest any violent conduct.
42:28No, I'm the same.
42:29And you would expect VAR to then step in and say, but whether there's not been enough footage to see clear enough.
42:36But like you say, it happens all the time.
42:39And I think, as I said, the ref will definitely learn from the day because it was a tough day for him.
42:44David Martindale was sent off. You could see just how frustrated he is. He must be absolutely at his wit's end.
42:54He's been capitulated after he left the sidelines into the stand. They're now 21 games without a Premiership win.
43:00They've conceded 48 goals. It is getting harder and harder to see an escape route for them in the position that they're in.
43:06Yeah, it's going to be really tough. And they take the lead today. They do really well for the majority of the first half.
43:12But then, as you say, two really poor goals right on half time. And it's a big ask. They need to start getting results.
43:18They do. From Aberdeen's point of view, obviously still no permanent manager in place.
43:22Does it concern you, or is it a concern, how long the process is taking?
43:27Or is it just all about basically making sure that they get the right person?
43:31And Peter Leven obviously got a really good result for them today.
43:34I think the thing is, Peter's done it before. He's doing a good job at the moment.
43:38So there doesn't need to be a rush. But they made, they done that process last time with Jimmy Tallinn.
43:44And they got who they thought. Now, Jimmy Tallinn brought a cup. So in some respects, he's been successful.
43:50But I think for them, they'll take their time. New sporting director in.
43:53He'll want to get everybody checked out who the right person is to take the club.
43:58And what do Aberdeen want? Do they want a style of play? Do they want to just win?
44:02That's probably where they need to work out what route they want to go down.
44:05Because as we've talked about, their squad is...
44:09The money that's been invested in the squad is huge.
44:12Obviously, there'll be a big wage bill as well.
44:15But I mean, somebody's coming into a team who are capable of being higher than they are.
44:19Exactly. Expectations high. Their expectations third are challenging for Cups.
44:23Yeah, I agree.
44:24OK, let's have a wee look at the table.
44:30It's not there, but I'll just read it. Ah, there it is there anyway.
44:33No change at the top with Hearts, Rangers and Celtic all playing tomorrow.
44:37Motherwell are up to 40 points in fourth.
44:40Hibs on 35. Falkirk two behind in sixth.
44:42Aberdeen seventh on 28.
44:44The bottom two, both lost.
44:46So it's as you were for Kelly and Livy.
44:48And here is what's coming up for you to enjoy across the BBC.
44:51Off the Ball and Sports Sound are on tomorrow.
44:54It all kicks off at 12.
44:55Premiership Highlights tomorrow evening with Jonathan.
44:58That's at 7.15 on BBC Scotland.
45:00And the SWPL, Celtic play Montrose tomorrow at 1.
45:03That's on BBC Alapa.
45:04Glasgow City against Rangers.
45:06Big game that is also tomorrow at 10 past 4 on iPlayer.
45:11And SPFL Scottish Football Roundup will be available on Monday online.
45:17And that is it for tonight.
45:19Thanks to Stephen for joining me.
45:21Only three games, but 17 goals.
45:23What a season we are having.
45:25Goodnight.
45:34Bye.