Cove Rangers tasted defeat for the first time this season after losing 5-0 to Premiership outfit Livingston in the Viaplay Cup.
After a fairly even first half at Balmoral Stadium, Cove found themselves 1-0 down at half-time after Tom Parkes netted the opener for Livingston in the 44th minute, before Ayo Obileye made it 2-0 in the 55th minute.
It was a hat-trick of headers from Livingston as Bruce Anderson added another in the 59th minute, while Stephen Kelly’s brace, with goals in the 81st and 92nd minute, made it 5-0.
The defeat leaves Paul Hartley’s side third in Group C with six points ahead of their last group match at Hamilton Accies, who sit first with eight points, on Saturday.
Cove go behind just before interval, before two second-half headers
Hartley handed debuts to new signings Paul McGowan and Dayshonne Golding, while Balint Demus and Josh Kerr came into the starting XI, having been named on the among the substitutes in Saturday’s win over Brechin.
Midfielder Tyler Mykyta and forward Rumarn Burrell dropped to bench, while Mitch Megginson missed out entirely due to injury.
The home side’s first chance saw Mark Gallagher unleash a powerful strike after being teed up by a short Kyle Connell free-kick, but his effort zipped just wide.
Another free-kick came and went for Cove, who opted for the same link-up with Connell and Gallagher, but this time the latter’s shot was straight at goalkeeper Shamal George.
At the other end, Livi’s James Penrice registered his side’s first shot of the match, albeit not on target, as his low shot trailed wide of Demus’ far post.
Joel Nouble then hit a strike from outside a crowded box, which won Livingston a corner – from which Cove looked to hit them on the break, but Golding couldn’t find any of his team-mates as he burst forward and the attack petered out.
A vital block from defender Obileye denied Mouhamed Niang his first goal for Cove, after he linked up well with Golding to get a shot away inside the box.
Parkes made it 1-0 for Livingston right at the end of the first half, as he headed home from a free-kick. Obileye initially won the ball in the air from the set-piece, before finding his team-mate in the box.
It was almost 2-0 for Livingston in quick succession, as Obileye won another header in the box from a corner, but his effort dropped just wide.
In the second half, Cove went close to an equaliser when Connell did well to stay on his feet and thread through Golding, who only needed to tap the ball in from a couple yards out – but his effort was superbly blocked by Obileye.
Obileye had been Livingston’s best player on the park and he reaped his reward with a goal, as he connected with Penrice’s cross and headed the ball home to make it 2-0.
An unmarked Anderson made it 3-0 mere minutes later as Parkes whipped in an inviting ball into the box, which the Livi forward met in the centre and sent it beyond Demus in the Cove goal.
Substitute Rumarn Burrell looked to get a goal back for Cove, as he managed to get a shot away from a tight angle, but his effort was well saved by the palms of George.
Cove goalkeeper Demus made a fingertip save to deny Livingston’s fourth, as Penrice hit a curling strike from just outside the box.
However, Livi subsitute Kelly did make it four, though, with a superb strike from 25 yards out which soared beyond an outstretched Demus and crashed into the top right corner.
It finished 5-0 after Kelly netted a volley in stoppage time.
Player ratings
COVE RANGERS (3-4-1-2): Demus 6, Kerr 6, Gillingham 6, Reynolds 6, Darge 6, Gallagher 6 (Jones 65), Niang 6 (Mykyta 79), Scully 6, McGowan 6, Connell 6, Golding 6 (Burrell 65)
Subs not used: Suman, Naismith, Ochmanski, Vigurs, Gaffney
LIVINGSTON (3-4-2-1): George 6, Devlin 6 (De Lucas 67), Obileye 7, Parkes 6, Montano 6 (Brandon 77), Holt 6, Shinnie 6 (Sangare 73), Penrice 6, Anderson 6 (Guthrie 73), Nouble 6, Pittman 6 (Kelly 67)
Subs not used: Hamilton, Boyes, Welch-Hayes, Ledingham
Man of the match: Ayo Obileye
Attendance: 683
