Livingston manager David Martindale revealed Steven Bradley delivered the ideal response to a half-time dressing-down as the winger scored a second-half double to seal their passage into the fifth round of the Scottish Cup.
League Two Stenhousemuir were on course for shock win as they led Livingston, fourth in the Scottish Premiership, at the interval following defender Nicky Jamieson’s powerful header.
However, the top-flight side turned the tie around in the second period with three goals in eight minutes to secure a 3-1 win.
Scott Pittman equalised after 52 minutes before Bradley fired the visitors in front three minutes later with a sublime 25-yard free-kick lashed into the top corner and then notched his second and Livingston’s third in the 59th minute.
Martindale admitted he had some harsh words for Bradley during the break but got the reaction he was looking for as the 20-year-old opened his account for Livingston following his recent signing from Hibernian.
Martindale said: “I’m really happy with Steven. I had a wee nip at him at half-time, if I’m honest, and I got the reaction I wanted.
“I thought he was very, very good for a good spell in the second half. I thought he was one of our best players.
“His second goal was a really good finish, I’ve seen players slash at them and they go over the bar, wide or you hit the keeper with it through a lack of composure, but Steven took a wee touch and passes it into the net.
“It was a really good goal.”
Martindale was impressed by Gary Naysmith’s part-timers as they pushed Livingston all the way.
He said: “We dominated large parts of the game, but credit to Stenhousemuir, they are League Two, but I thought they gave a good account of themselves.
“Their fitness was good, their intensity, they tried to press us and overall their keeper wasn’t extremely busy, so that’s down to their game management.”
