Ross County 3 Livingston 2: Martindale blasts 'ridiculous' game management after last-gasp defeat in crunch clash

Livingston manager David Martindale bemoaned “ridiculous” game management following his side’s last-gasp defeat against Ross County.

Livi fought back from Eamonn Brophy’s first-half double in Dingwall as a brace from Bruce Anderson got his side level with four minutes left.

But Josh Sims netted in stoppage time for the hosts to earn a 3-2 win which leaves Livi six points adrift at the foot of the Premiership table, having played a game more.

Martindale said: “I thought our game management for that third goal was ridiculous – terrible.

“In the first half, it was a wee bit toothless, gutless – we couldn’t get close enough. Our distances were all wrong.

“The first goal was a blatant error, under no pressure at all. A lack of focus leads to the first goal. It gives Ross County momentum and takes a wee bit of belief away from us.

“The second goal we don’t go in tight enough. We were too narrow and give Brophy too much room.

“We go in at half-time 2-0 down and make changes. It wasn’t down to the two who came off. We could probably have looked at the defensive unit as being the ones at fault.

“But you have to change something so we changed to 4-4-2 and put Bruce on and get the next goal.

“We threw caution to the wind in the last 10 minutes with big Kurtis Guthrie on and get the second goal back.

“At that point, maybe I should have changed it back to a back four or five and taken the point. I never, I thought the momentum was with us.

“Unfortunately we get done with a sucker punch. Again, defensively, we’ve got to do a lot better as a unit.”

County interim manager Don Cowie hailed his side’s character after keeping their composure following Livingston’s equaliser.

“We were very good in the first half and were worthy at 2-0 up,”