BY IAIN COLLIN – @CCP_sport
Liam Buchanan reckons he netted the best goal of his career against Rangers – but insists Saturday’s more routine strike could ultimately prove more crucial for Livingston.
The former Cowdenbeath, Partick Thistle and Dunfermline striker took his season’s tally to 10 with a predatory finish to cancel out Craig Sibbald’s opener and snatch the Lions a 1-1 draw against Falkirk.
The result eased the West Lothian men five points clear of bottom side Alloa Athletic and to within just two of St Mirren in third-bottom as they bid to extricate themselves from the relegation play-off spot.
And, having expressed his hopes that ‘probably the best goal of my career’ in the previous week’s 4-1 defeat to Rangers would lead to a starting berth, Buchanan rewarded new manager David Hopkin for his faith in him by earning a key point.
He said: “This week was more like the sort of goal I’ll be scoring!
“That’s me on 10 now. Obviously you look back at chances you could maybe have done better with, but over the course of the season that’ll even itself out.
“It was more important we took something from the game. With the effort we put into the second-half, especially, I think we deserved it.
“That’s another point clear of Alloa and a point closer to St Mirren.”
Buchanan was involved in a nerve-shredding relegation dogfight last season when with Alloa Athletic, who escaped via the play-offs after Livingston themselves steered clear of trouble on the final day of last term.
The 30-year-old is desperate to ensure he can enjoy a more relaxing climax to the campaign this time round as Hopkin bids to bring a freshness to the club after taking over from the sacked Mark Burchill last month.
Buchanan added: “We just have to do our own job. We’re under pressure ourselves to get out of this and hopefully we can.
“You don’t want it to go down to the wire like last season. I was at Alloa and Livingston were in the same predicament.
“I think we’ve got enough quality in the changing room, it’s just about getting the results now and proving we are a good side.
“Obviously, everyone has their own way of playing football. The gaffer works a lot on shape, which Mark did as well, but it’s maybe a little bit different.
“He’s brought in a couple of new faces who I feel have made a massive difference to us and we can only get better under him.”
