Ross County 2 Livingston 4 (Agg: 3-5) – Martindale’s men produce comeback for the ages to make return to the Premiership

MAGIC MAN Robbie Muirhead fired never-say-die Livingston to play-off glory – and an instant return to the Premiership. 

The striker curled in a second half wonder goal to win it for Davie Martindale’s men, who were TWO down after 24 minutes but came roaring back to relegate Ross County. 

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The Staggies can have absolutely no complaints about their fate having streaked into a commanding lead through Josh Nisbet and Ronan Hale. 

But from the moment Lewis Smith pegged them back before half-time, they dropped tamely out of it, conceding an equaliser to Danny Wilson before Muirhead’s 61st minute cracker and Tete Yengi’s last kick clincher. 

After being the Highland Houdinis for the past two seasons, County couldn’t wriggle free this time and Livi deservedly take their place in the top flight. 

Martindale has done some job getting them back up at the first attempt and with the club in new ownership, they can look towards a brighter future. 

For County, this has been coming. 

Within a whisker of the top six in March, the bottom has fallen right out of their season and the luck they had with two dodgy penalties in recent weeks was the only thing keeping them afloat. 

You can’t dice with danger as many times as they have without it getting you in the end and so it proved here. 

Chairman Roy McGregor has pumped millions into his hometown club over the years and now faces the prospect of another costly rebuild if they’re going to return to the Premiership. 

They’ll have to build a group tougher than this lot, that’s for sure – and one look at how Livi hounded them will show them what they need.  

The Championship side started well and bombarded County with a series of long throws which had them scrambling the ball away from their box. 

But after seven minutes the first spark of real quality saw the Staggies go ahead for the first time in the tie. 

Finlayson attempted to clear but the ball bobbled forward to Nohan Kenneh, who immediately set up the attack with a great ball down the channel for Hale to chase. 

With the Livi right-back scrambling, he had time to take a touch, wait just enough time for Nisbet to bomb forward then roll it into his path. 

The Lions’ defence was floundering and paid the price as the Aussie midfielder prodded a shot past Jerome Prior from six yards. 

That was the start Cowie wanted from his team, who have found goals hard to come by but were clinical on this occasion. 

Scott Pittman then had a chance on the edge of the box which he fired wide, before just failing to get on the end of a Smith cross. 

Just like in the first leg, Livi were creating openings but their failure to take them proved costly last Thursday. 

And it looked like happening again here – as County doubled their lead. 

It was a calamity from Livi’s point of view, whose keeper rolled the ball out to Kelly but saw him take a shocker of a touch. 

His connection was so bad, it was effectively a pass to send Hale through on goal and after he’d got Prior in his sights he did brilliantly to send him the wrong way, rolling his shot into the bottom corner. 

For the first time in the tie, Livi were the ones having to prove their mettle – and that they did. 

They got the goal they needed six minutes before half-time with a stunning solo effort from Smith. 

The midfielder picked up a loose ball inside the centre circle before riding a tackle from Harmon, scurrying past Will Nightingale then gliding past Akil Wright before slotting into the far corner. 

That was exactly what Livi needed right before half-time to give them the impetus – and put the wind right up County. 

Smith went close to levelling the tie early in the second half, firing a shot on the spin which cannoned off Campbell before flying just over. 

County then should have gone further in front when Hale sent Nisbet away with a ball in the left channel, but the midfielder pulled his shot across goal. 

And that moment proved huge, as Livi blew the tie wide open – despite Amissah’s best efforts. 

First the keeper beat away Muirhead’s free kick – awarded for Nightingale’s foul on Smith 25 yards out – with a superb low block. 

He could only palm out for Wilson, whose low shot was saved by the big keeper but there was no mistake – bar a long VAR check for offside – when he headed in at the third attempt.

If that goal was scrappy, their third four minutes later was simply sublime. 

It seemed to come from nothing, as Muirhead picked up the clearance from his own cross from the right, jigged a few yards into the box then looped a sensational curling shot over Amissah high into his far corner. 

It was some turnaround – but the way Livi had responded to going two down means they deserved every bit of it. 

Prior then pulled a great save off to deny Harmon before Wright sent a header towards target but it cracked off Ryan McGowan before it got there. 

And Livi made sure in the dying seconds with sub Yengi firing high into the net to spark a pitch invasion and joyous scenes. 

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