Dundee 0-3 Livingston

Sep 21 2008 Michael Baillie Reports

First Division

ROBERTO LANDI watched his Lions roar clear in the race for promotion and insisted there is more to come. Loan star Calum Elliot's double and a Chris Innes strike fired Livi two points clear at the top with a convincing win at Dens Park.

The victory puts Landi's troops four points clear of title favourites Dundee.

But the Italian believes his side are only playing at 50 per cent of their potential.

However, he knows they'll have to find that extra 50 per cent by Tuesday when they face Gordon Strachan's Celtic in the Co-operative Cup at Parkhead.

The Hoops gaffer will no doubt have been impressed by Livi's display as he ran the rule over them ahead of the third-round tie.

And Landi believes the Lions can cause an upset in Glasgow's East End.

He said: "At the moment we're only playing at 50-60 per cent.

"The players will improve and in another seven or eight matches you'll see the real power of this team.

"We started the season without pressure and you can see that because everyone here just wants to play good football and get on with the job.

"I'm delighted because we're top of the league after seven matches and that's a reward for the hard work we've put in on the training pitch.

"It's fantastic and now we'll go to Celtic Park full of confidence.

"We have some great players and if they play to what they're capable of thenwe have a chance of winning 95 per cent of matches."

Dundee started brightest and carved out their first opportunity after only nine minutes when Mickael Antoine-Curier should have fired them into the lead.

The big Frenchman timed his run to perfection to beat the Livi offside trap as he met Bob Davidson's through ball.

But with just keeper Pierre Martini to beat he fired straight at the stopper.

The away side were next to threaten when Rocco Quinn latched onto Murray Davidson's lay off but his crisp snap shot from the edge of box went just wide of Rab Douglas' post.

Livi continued to dominate and got their reward four minutes before the interval.

Argentinian Fernando Giarrizzo - making his first start for the Almondvale club - swung in a corner from the left and the impressive Innes got up well to bullet his header into the net.

Home gaffer Alex Rae was clearly raging with his players for leaving Innes with time and space to pick his spot beyond Douglas.

Dundee emerged from the break fired up and Paul McHale almost drew them level in 66 minutes.

He latched on to the ball after his first effort was blocked but somehow managed to fire his second attempt inches wide.

Dundee were pushing for an equaliser and Mark Gilhaney was next to try his luck but the winger's shot was also off target.

Dundee's desire to snatch an equaliser was to blame as Livi hit them on the break in devastating fashion.

Elliot raced clear of the Dark Blues defence before keeping his cool to slot past ex-Celtic and Scotland star Douglas.

The hard-working striker, on loan from Hearts, then sealed the rout in injury-time with a first-class finish.

Man-of-the-match Giarrizzo found Elliot in the box and the frontman calmly chipped the ball over stranded Douglas.

The Dundee players trudged off to a chorus of jeers as the crowd turned on manager Rae.

But the Dens Park gaffer admitted the fans were right to air their frustration.

Rae said: "I don't mind if people giveme stick, I've been in the game long enough to know how it works.

"The supporters have to air their fury somehow and that's the way it is.

"I'm hurting inside as well and feel the same as they do so I can understand it.

"We had a great early chance and when we missed that it gave them encouragement.

"The two breakaways at the end killed us - they were a couple of sucker punches.

"We now need guys to stand up and be counted before the derby next week."

MoM: Giarrizzo (Livi)