Livingston boss David Martindale confessed he’ll have to dip into the transfer market after watching his side almost throw away a three-goal advantage in their season opener away at Albion Rovers.
The Lions looked to have eased their way to victory as goals from Scott Pittman - the first of the new Scottish football season after five minutes - Josh Mullin and Bruce Anderson had the top flight visitors three goals to the good inside 50 minutes.
However, slack defending allowed Ayrton Sonkur to fire home on 62 minutes from a Lewis Kidd delivery with the Coatbridge outfit setting up a nervy finish when Michael Paton reduced the deficit further eight minutes later.
Martindale admitted both goals conceded should have been prevented and that it takes the shine somewhat off the victory.
He said: “We’re talking about two mistakes. That’s four of the last five goals, if you include the pre-season games, where you can apportion blame to an individual, which isn’t great.
“We gave them a chance because we didn’t defend two balls into the box. We were 3-0 up and then let them back into the game.
“There will be some coming in now, I’m not going to lie.
“I was pretty happy with what I had and then you look at the Morton pre-season game and today, I think it’s fairly evident where I need to get my finger out and I’ll do that.
“For me, I need to do better and I know where we’re short. I need to help the group out and I’m going about something just now in areas of the park where I think we’re a wee bit short for where we need to be.
“I’ve identified that and I’m hoping to rectify that over the next seven days or so.”
Martindale elected to hand debuts to Scot Bitsindou and Esmael Goncalves in the starting line-up, while Ivan Konovalov won the battle for the starting keeper ahead of Max Stryjek.
The Lions no doubt will have wanted an early goal to settle any nerves and they duly delivered inside five minutes.
Andrew Shinnie’s perfectly weighted ball over the top found James Penrice on the left flank with his delivery being nodded back across goal and into the bottom corner by Scott Pittman, who was celebrating his 30th birthday.
Penrice was heavily involved in Livi’s second, too, as he cut in from the left and saw his effort parried by Jack Leighfield with Mullin the quickest to react.
Anderson was introduced at half-time and last season’s top scorer made an immediate impact when he bagged Livi’s third just three minutes into the second half. The former Aberdeen striker was in the right place to divert a blocked Pittman effort into the net.
That should have been game, set and match but the Wee Rovers refused to give in and found a way back into the contest.
Konovalov fumbled a Kidd cross which allowed Sonkur to nab a debut goal before Kidd was at it again to tee up Paton 20 minutes from time.
Anderson passed up a chance to put the game to bed late on when Leighfield pulled off a brilliant save but it was job done, just about, on the opening day of the 2022/23 season for the Lions.
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