Inverness boss John Hughes enjoys winning return to Livingston
Former Livingston manager John Hughes enjoyed a winning return to Almondvale as his Inverness Caledonian Thistle side cruised into the quarter-finals of the Scottish League Cup.
The Highlanders benefited from a sloppy defensive display from the hosts as goals from Miles Storey and Daniel Devine secured a 2-0 win against the Championship's bottom club.
Livingston will look back ruefully after the failed to capitalise on a bright first-half showing, with Gary Glen, Jordyn Sheerin and Morgyn Neill all missing passable opportunities.
However, a shock never really looked on the cards as Hughes' first visit to West Lothian since leaving the club for Hartlepool in 2012 ended in a comfortable victory.
Inverness, who claimed their first piece of major silverware by lifting the Scottish Cup in May, underlined their determination to progress in this competition by resisting the temptation to make wholesale changes.
Indeed, Hughes fielded the same 11 which claimed a creditable 1-1 draw against Dundee United on Saturday.
And the visitors took just 12 minutes to claim the lead when Livi youngster Neill attempted to guide the ball back to goalkeeper Darren Jamieson, only for his header to fall short. That allowed Storey to steal in and round the goalkeeper before rolling into an empty net.
Rather than prompt a deluge of goals, falling behind seemed to galvanise the home side, who saw Sheerin shoot narrowly over the bar after reacting sharply inside a crowded penalty area.
Owain Fon Williams illustrated his worth to the Caley cause by producing a marvellous to deny Gary Glen.
With crosses into the box causing the visitors problems, Neill was inches away from redeeming himself as his towering header from a Ross Millen free-kick looped onto the roof of the net.
Despite their bright response to falling behind, Livingston conceded another woefully sloppy goal on the stroke of half-time as they failed to defend a deep free-kick from Greg Tansey, allowing Devine to head home.
Livingston almost halved their arrears in bizarre fashion after the break when David Raven headed a Millen free-kick inches wide of his own post.
However, the visitors brushed off that scare and almost found the net themselves as a slick counter-attack saw Storey sent haring through on goal. However, Jamieson stooped to make a superb stop.
The win could have been more handsome but Andrea Mutombo rattled the post in the dying moments.
Source: PA
