Scott Robinson (left) headed Livingston into an early lead at HampdenLivingston survived a late bombardment to edge past St Mirren at Hampden and set up a Scottish League Cup final against St Johnstone.
Scott Robinson’s early header ultimately made it 11 games unbeaten under David Martindale as the club reached just their second major final.
St Mirren had a strong penalty claim dismissed, when Nicky Devlin caught Joe Shaughnessy, and finished strongly.
But Livingston clung on to secure a return to Hampden on 28 February.
Podcast: Reaction to Livingston’s winReaction & as it happenedMartindale praises Livingston’s ‘Aguero’Goodwin says players in tears after semi-final lossMartindale’s midas touch shows no signs of fading, with the head coach’s ninth win the most precious of his embryonic tenure.
Livingston’s only previous silverware came in this competition in 2004 and they hadn’t featured in a semi-final for 15 years. But recent form favoured Martindale’s men in this all-Premiership tie and they wasted no time in asserting themselves.
Jon Guthrie and Josh Mullin both registered shots on target in a frantic start before static St Mirren defending was exposed as the breakthrough arrived.
Robinson was both creator and scorer, initially flicking on a deep free-kick inside the box to Efe Ambrose. When the defender nodded against the crossbar, Robinson’s attentiveness in following up was rewarded with a simple headed finish.
Eamonn Brophy dragged wide from distance as St Mirren tried to muster a response. But the striker was an isolated presence as Jim Goodwin’s men struggled for a first-half foothold while showing no hint of the performance that had claimed Rangers’ scalp in the previous round.
Even the big calls weren’t going St Mirren’s way. They should have had a penalty when Devlin clattered Shaughnessy on the calf in an attempted clearance, but referee David Munro ignored the appeals.
He did likewise after the break when substitute Jon Obika tumbled under minimal contact from Julien Serrano.
Devlin should have doubled Livingston’s lead shortly after half-time, slicing a Mullin delivery over.
And that let-off finally jolted St Mirren to life as Conor McCarthy’s header from a corner was cleared off the line by Craig Sibbald, before a dipping Aaron Connolly effort had to be helped over bar by goalkeeper Max Stryjek.
Brophy also sent a header too high as Livingston, having been so comfortable, were pinned back in the closing stages.
Perhaps the best chance for an equaliser fell to Obika from a Kyle McAllister cross, but the striker got his timing all wrong and his attempted header bounced off his shoulder and trickled to Stryjek.
Still Goodwin’s men kept coming, and still Livingston refused to buckle. Shaughnessy sent a header agonisingly wide from a corner before Obika’s drive deflected into the side-netting as St Mirren’s hopes of a first final since lifting the trophy in 2013 evaporated in the freezing Hampden air.
Man of the match – Scott RobinsonThe striker capped a tireless performance with his fourth goal in six games to send his side into the finalWhat did we learn?This was the acid test of Martindale’s capabilities – and his side did him proud. Livingston have played better during their current sparkling run, but this was a gusty, committed performance from a team pushed to the limit.
With Martindale’s Scottish FA ‘fit and proper person’ hearing looming on Tuesday – at which he will learn if he can continue in the role after a previous stint in jail – the rehabilitated Livingston leader is already a real credit to Scottish management.
St Mirren, meanwhile, can bow out with heads held high. Their jarring regret will be the meek first-half showing that allowed Livingston to wrest control.
They can’t afford to wallow in disappointment, though, with a first top-half finish in the Premiership since 1985 now the target in the remainder of the season.
What did they say?Livingston head coach David Martindale: “I’m absolutely thrilled for the community, staff, the board, everyone connected with the club.
“I don’t think anyone remembers how you get to the final, because at times it wasn’t pretty, but who cares? It was two honest teams, giving it everything and leaving nothing on the park.”
St Mirren manager Jim Goodwin: “We’re bitterly disappointed. The boys are lying on floor in there. There’s tears and a lot of sorrow because we had a big chance to get to the final.
“You need a bit of luck in a game like this, but I don’t think we got any today.”
What’s next?There’s no respite for either side, with Livingston hosting Kilmarnock in the Premiership on Wednesday (19:45 GMT), while St Mirren try to pick themselves up for a trip to Dundee United (18:00).
Player of the match
SibbaldCraig Sibbald
with an average of 7.04
LivingstonSquad number10Player nameSibbald
Squad number17Player nameRobinson
Squad number18Player nameHolt
Squad number6Player nameBartley
Squad number27Player nameGuthrie
Squad number5Player nameFitzwater
Squad number32Player nameStryjek
Squad number2Player nameDevlin
Squad number8Player namePittman
Squad number23Player nameLongridge
Squad number12Player nameSerrano
Squad number14Player nameMullin
Squad number20Player nameReilly
Squad number25Player nameEfe Ambrose
St MirrenSquad number1Player nameAlnwick
Squad number2Player nameTait
Squad number5Player nameMcCarthy
Squad number25Player nameErhahon
Squad number22Player nameFraser
Squad number9Player nameObika
Squad number20Player nameDennis
Squad number17Player nameMcGrath
Squad number4Player nameShaughnessy
Squad number14Player nameMacPherson
Squad number10Player nameMcAllister
Squad number11Player nameDurmus
Squad number21Player nameConnolly
Squad number3Player nameMason
Squad number29Player nameBrophy
Line-upsLivingstonFormation 4-5-1
32Stryjek
2Devlin25Ambrose27Guthrie12Serrano
14Mullin18Holt6Bartley8Pittman10Sibbald
17Robinson
32Stryjek2Devlin25Ambrose27Guthrie12Serrano14MullinSubstituted forReillyat 73’minutes18HoltBooked at 41mins6Bartley8PittmanBooked at 64mins10SibbaldSubstituted forLongridgeat 86’minutes17RobinsonSubstituted forFitzwaterat 81’minutesSubstitutes1McCrorie5Fitzwater9Emmanuel-Thomas11Forrest20Reilly21McMillan23Longridge33Lawson37KabiaSt MirrenFormation 4-5-1
1Alnwick
22Fraser5McCarthy4Shaughnessy2Tait
21Connolly17McGrath14MacPherson25Erhahon3Mason
29Brophy
1Alnwick22Fraser5McCarthy4Shaughnessy2Tait21ConnollyBooked at 52minsSubstituted forMcAllisterat 57’minutes17McGrath14MacPhersonSubstituted forObikaat 68’minutesBooked at 76mins25Erhahon3MasonSubstituted forDurmusat 68’minutes29BrophySubstituted forDennisat 81’minutesSubstitutes8Flynn9Obika10McAllister11Durmus15Finlayson16Foley20Dennis23Erwin26LynessLive TextMatch ends, Livingston 1, St. Mirren 0.
Second Half ends, Livingston 1, St. Mirren 0.
Foul by Conor McCarthy (St. Mirren).
Marvin Bartley (Livingston) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Jonathan Obika (St. Mirren).
(Livingston) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Ethan Erhahon (St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Gavin Reilly (Livingston).
Foul by Joe Shaughnessy (St. Mirren).
Marvin Bartley (Livingston) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Corner, St. Mirren. Conceded by Max Stryjek.
Attempt missed. Jonathan Obika (St. Mirren) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the left.
Conor McCarthy (St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Gavin Reilly (Livingston).
Foul by Richard Tait (St. Mirren).
Gavin Reilly (Livingston) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt missed. Joe Shaughnessy (St. Mirren) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right following a corner.
Corner, St. Mirren. Conceded by Efe Ambrose.
Jamie McGrath (St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Nicky Devlin (Livingston).