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[365footballorg-blog]

'Good chemistry' & 'getting in people's faces' - Livingston enjoy great start

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Scott Pittman, Livingston’s match-winner against Hibernian, says he and his team-mates are determined to keep living the Premiership dream.

Livi have picked up two successive victories since Gary Holt took over from Kenny Miller as manager and sit fourth in the table with seven points.

Given that they won promotion against the odds, the players could be forgiven for pinching themselves at such a successful start to the season.

“No-one expected us to get promoted, now we’re just enjoying it,” Pittman, 26, told BBC Scotland

“We’re playing in front of big crowds, working hard every week and hopefully we can keep picking up points,” he added.

Match report: Livingston 2-1 Hibernian[1]

Pittman was a key contributor to the promotion drive, notably with goals against Dundee United and then Partick Thistle as the West Lothian side triumphed in the play-offs.

On the evidence of Saturday’ 2-1 victory, the midfielder will continue to provide a goal-scoring threat as well as epitomising Livingston’s work ethic in a tenacious midfield.

“We keep our shape and we defend well and try to get teams on the counter attack,” he said of the team’s approach.

“We start every game with a point and the manager says ‘just try not to lose it’. We try to press the other team, get in people’s faces, don’t make it easy for them.”

It’s an ethos that would have served Pittman well in the Juniors, where he was playing with Bo’ness just three years ago.

But he is now holding his own in Scottish football’s top flight, where Livingston do not look out of place.

Pittman was one of seven players who started the win over Hibernian, who played in the 1-0 victory at Firhill to clinch their place in the Premiership. That familiarity has helped, he believes.

“There are a few of us who’ve played with each other for two or three years now. We’ve got good chemistry and know how each other plays,” he said.

References

^ Match report: Livingston 2-1 Hibernian (www.bbc.co.uk)

BBC Sport – Scottish

'Good chemistry' & 'getting in people's faces' – Livingston enjoy great start was originally published on 365 Football

[365footballorg-blog]

Wales' women will 'get in Russia's faces' in World Cup qualifier

Women’s 2019 World Cup qualifying: Wales v Russia Venue: Spytty Park, Newport Date: Tuesday, 12 June Kick-off: 19:00 BST Coverage: Live on BBC Two Wales, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru & BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app.

Wales will “get in Russia’s faces” on Tuesday as they try to take another step towards reaching the 2019 Women’s World Cup, manager Jayne Ludlow says.

Beating Russia in Newport would set up a winner-takes-all game against Group One leaders England in August.

Russia lost 3-1 to England[1] in Moscow on Friday, while Wales beat Bosnia-Herzegovina 1-0[2] in Swansea on Thursday.

“Our plan is to step on the pitch and get in their faces and not give them any breathing time,” said Ludlow.

“I’m sure if we do that then we’ll shock them a little bit.”

Wales go into the game two points behind England[3] with victory against Russia guaranteeing at least second, which would be their best finish in a World Cup qualifying campaign.

Ludlow’s side host England on 31 August in their final fixture, but could also qualify via the play-offs if they finish as one of the four best runners-up from the seven groups.

The Arsenal midfield great says she has a fully fit squad, including playmaker Jess Fishlock, who was made an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.[4]

Fishlock said: “I feel quietly confident. I have so much belief in this group of players.

“It’s hard to sum up how important this game is on Tuesday, especially with England having beaten them.

“If we can get a result against Russia, it’s going to be exceptional.

“Jayne has got everything right so far and I have no doubt that whatever she has planned, we’ll look forward to getting it done.”

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Fishlock was on the end of some rough challenges during the win over Bosnia-Herzegovina on Thursday, but Ludlow says her own side are prepared to fight and seize their opportunity.

“This group fights for things,” Ludlow said. “We’re a very small nation and for us to have any success in tournaments – male or female – we have to step on the pitch and fight every time we put the jersey on.

“We’re not expected to out-possess most teams, but we are expected to win battles and this game is no different.”

England manager Phil Neville says he has plans to change his team’s approach after seeing sides set out to frustrate a Lionesses side ranked second in the world.

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Ludlow, though, said she would not be looking to alter Wales’ set-up even if their unbeaten run – during which they are yet to concede a goal – has earned them a new-found respect.

“You’re talking about a national team that could name five squads,” Ludlow said of Neville’s England, who Wales held to a goalless draw[5] in Southampton in April.

“Great for him, happy days. We’re very different. We’re a very small nation with a very small pool of players and when we step on the pitch we play to our strengths.

“We obviously understand everything the opposition will bring, and we prepare for certain things, but our game is always about trying to get these guys to shine with all the things we’re good at.”

A sell-out crowd of around 1,200 is expected at Newport’s Spytty Park for the fixture with Russia.

Wales squad: Claire Skinner (Cardiff City Women), Olivia Clarke (Boston United), Laura O’Sullivan (Cyncoed Ladies); Loren Dykes (Bristol City Women), Sophie Ingle (Liverpool Ladies), Alice Griffiths (Wales Performance Squad), Rhiannon Roberts (Doncaster Rovers Belles), Rachel Rowe (Reading Women), Elise Hughes (Everton Ladies); Jess Fishlock (Seattle Reign), Hayley Ladd (Birmingham City Ladies), Angharad James (Everton Ladies), Nadia Lawrence (Wales Performance Squad), Natasha Harding (Reading Women) Gemma Evans (Yeovil Town Ladies), Ffion Morgan (Wales Performance Squad), Tamsyn Sibanda (Arsenal); Helen Ward (Watford Ladies), Kylie Nolan (Wales Performance Squad), Melissa Fletcher (Reading Women), Kayleigh Green (Yeovil Town Ladies), Hannah Miles (Yeovil Town Ladies), Grace Horrell (Cyncoed Ladies).

You can now add WSL 1 notifications for line-ups, goals, kick-off, half-time and results in the BBC Sport app. Visit this page to find out how to sign-up.[6]

References

^ Russia lost 3-1 to England (www.bbc.co.uk)

^ Wales beat Bosnia-Herzegovina 1-0 (www.bbc.co.uk)

^ two points behind England (www.bbc.co.uk)

^ made an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. (www.bbc.co.uk)

^ Wales held to a goalless draw (www.bbc.co.uk)

^ this page (www.bbc.co.uk)

BBC Sport – Football

Wales' women will 'get in Russia's faces' in World Cup qualifier was originally published on 365 Football