Sunday February 1st 2026
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Ewan Hornell
It was a Tawanda Maswanhise exhibition as he fired two past Livingston to guide Motherwell to a comfortable 2-0 win and cut Livingston further a drift at the bottom of the Premiership.
With every game that passes without a win for Livingston, relegation looms larger.
The task, a Motherwell side who prior to kick-off had only lost once in their last 14. Since October 25th, the first time they faced Livingston, Motherwell have accrued the second most points in the league.
The same positive sentiment cannot be shared for Livingston who before the game were winless in their last 21. A top flight record only bested by Hamilton in the 10/11 season who went 22 matches without three points. No win today and Livingston would join them.
There were three changes for Livingston from last week’s heavy 6-2 defeat to Aberdeen. New January signings Emmanuel Danso and Babacar Fati made their first starts since joining. Scott Pittman replaced Manchester City loanee, Mahamadou Susoho, who had been recalled by City and sold to Turkish side Kocaelispor.
Livingston missed a glorious chance early. In the second minute after Stevie May and Scott Pittman combined, Connor McLennan was left in the box, alone with the chance to get Livi off to a dream start but Motherwell keeper, Calum Ward made a fantastic save to deny his effort.
Any glimmer of a Livingston upset seemed to dissipate not long after, as in the 5th minute Motherwell opened the scoring.
Composed build up found Elijah Just. He dinked in a wonderful cross for Motherwell’s talisman, Tawanda Maswanhise to loft a header home over Jerome Prior in the Livingston goal.
That makes it 4 games in a row Maswanhise has scored and he becomes the youngest Motherwell player since 2010 to score in four consecutive matches.
From there on Motherwell dictated the game. As Livingston struggled to cope with constant waves of attacks.
Craig Slattery tested the hosts goal with a stinging volley, Paul McGinn’s header at the back post came close and Elijah Just was only denied by the post from his strike in the box.
It was not long before Motherwell found their second which felt inevitable.
Livingston failed to clear their lines and giving Jens Berthel Askou’s side the chance to capitalise as Maswanhise was played in once more.
The Zimbabwean only needs a sniff of chance and no mistake, finishing for 2-0.
Half time couldn’t come quick enough for David Martindale. Motherwell passed the ball at will as Livingston were left to chase shadows all over the park.
Livingston’s second half performance, whilst slightly better than the first did not reflect a side in desperate need of a win.
That feeling of desperation was evident in the home crowd who grew increasingly frustrated with every backwards pass.
Much like the first, Motherwell controlled the second but this time without really threatening, happy to keep possession and frustrate the home side.
Despite a flurry of Livingston substitutions, trying to remedy their lack of attacking imagination the home side could not find even a consolation goal, ending their afternoon only mustering a total of 4 shots to Motherwell’s 16.
David Martindale spoke post-match on another defeat for his side”
“They go up the park an score from an area and a ball that should never lead to a goal and then from there we just lose control. We get a wee bit safe, risk averse, too passive and I think for they boys, where we are in the table we just jump off the game.”
Martindale said he has no paid no thought to results elsewhere today despite their implications for his club:
“To be honest I don’t mean to sound ignorant, I’ve not been focusing on anyone other than Livingston.
“I get it and I get that’s the story but its not really came into my mindset because all I can affect is Livingston.”
Martindale remains defiant about his position at the club despite increasing pressure,
“I will never, ever come into this football club fearing for my job, that’s not to say my jobs safe.
“Its difficult losing games but I know where we are going as a club.
We’ve been here before, we’ve went down, we’ve came back up.”
Livingston utterly miserable afternoon was made even worse as relegation rivals Kilmarnock won 3-0 at home against Aberdeen. That result leaves Livingston 6 points behind Killie at the bottom of the table.
Its Falkirk next for Livingston, who are the only team they have beaten this season. However, Falkirk are a very different side from the one they defeated at the beginning of the season, sitting sixth and coming off the back of 4-1 demolition of Hibs.
Tweet Share on Facebook
