Martindale: ‘ this tie is not over’

Livingston boss David Martindale takes a 2-0 lead into the second leg of the Scottish Premiership play-off semi-final at home to Partick Thistle on Friday (kick-off 19.45), but he stressed that this tie is “not over”.

Scott Pittman after 39 minutes and Danny Wilson on 52 minutes fired Livi into a good position after the first-leg played in front of over 5,400 fans at the Wyre Stadium at Firhill in midweek.

Of course, Livingston were runners-up to Falkirk in the Championship while Thistle were fourth and the Glasgow side set-up the semi-final after coming from behind against Ayr United, who finished third, thanks to Brian Graham’s 100^th goal for he club with two minutes of regular time left.

Thistle co-manager, Mark Wilson, felt “nothing went right” for the club in the first leg, but he told BBC Sport Scotland: “I thought we were the better team.”

And he feels his men can battle their way back into the tie. Wilson said: “The players have got a lot of belief in each other. They know they can do it.”

Martindale (pictured) said the midweek performance was “OK” and set his men up for a great start on Friday but he added: “I never felt we were under any real threat (at Firhill).”

So, it is all to play for at the Set Fare Arena in Alderstone Road, Livingston EH54 7DN and the winners play the second bottom side in the William Hill Premiership with Ross County currently in that position.