IN COMICAL conditions, Livingston ended their farcical season on a low note after squandering a two-goal lead.
Quite how the game passed a 2pm inspection from referee Frank McDermott is anyone's guess, but Livi looked set to splish-splash their wa
y to victory until the tide turned after the interval.
Credit, however, to the hosts for even turning up. Only two first-team players have been paid in full for April as monthly wage delays remain the norm under chairman Angelo Massone. The Italian must find urgent revenue this summer and the absence of Murray Davidson and Dave Mackay, the subject of bids from Dundee and Motherwell, suggests cash could soon be forthcoming. Top scorer Leigh Griffiths, who netted his 23rd of the season from the penalty spot, is also poised to depart.
After both teams were bizarrely forced to warm-up on adjacent astroturf due to the soaked park, the youthful Lions were singing in the rain inside eight minutes. Andrew Halliday's cross from the left escaped the grasp of keeper Lee Robinson and David Winters forced in. After Winters was then dubiously felled by Neil McFarlane in the box, Griffiths stroked home.
Minus Swansea-bound Stephen Dobbie to injury, Queens initially struggled. Yet, as the weather finally relented upon the restart, the visitors found their rhythm and Robert Harris and Neil Scally went close before Steve Tosh buried a soft spot-kick. Centre-half Gerry McLaughlin then controlled 12 yards out, before neatly swivelling to blast in the equaliser.
