Latest news with #SamsonLawal
BBC News
4 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Lawal and Smith earn Team of the Week spot
Samson Lawal: Played out of position and dealt with it magnificently as Livingston took all 3 points against Smith: "A brilliant strike" was how Sportscene commentator Jock Brown described it. A curled effort into the top corner, it was a stunning moment of quality from the former Hamilton Academical player. Looks like he is ready to take the Premiership by storm.
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Livingston 3 Falkirk 1: African stars Bokila and Lawal delight Martindale in win
The Lions gaffer heaped praise on Jeremy Bokila and Samson Lawal as Livi stayed unbeaten on their Premiership return By Ian Steven Livingston maintained their unbeaten start to the 2025/26 league campaign with a tempestuous victory over fierce rivals Falkirk, but it was the unearthing on a two new talents in gold and black that delighted manager Davie Martindale the most, with African stars Jeremy Bokila and Samson Lawal being highlighted with the same pride usually reserved for a delighted parent. 'I gained a player today,' exclaimed the gaffer in reference to the league debut of Nigeran full back Samson Lawal who filled in at right back due to an injury to Daniel Finlayson. 'I think it's important that I mention wee Sammy at right back. I don't think a lot of you guys would know who he was. Sammy's been at a club, he's in his fourth year. We signed him for Nigeria. He was in an academy in Nigeria. It's amateur status, but when I signed him, he'd just played something along the lines of eight games for the Nigeria Under-20s at the World Cup. Got to the quarter final. And in the CONCACAF, he got into the semi-final and to put it into perspective, Scotland don't get to the World Cups. 'So we've got him in, got a work permit. First year was a lot of adaptation in terms of just everything, the language, everything. Second year, I think they were really strong group and we used 14-15 players last year and because we were winning games, it became easier week by week and the team became easier to pick. 'So it was difficult this year. We made a decision in the office when we found out Dan was probably not going to make it. Will we throw we Sammy in? I knew he would do well. He looks after the ball first and foremost, but he's really difficult to beat one on one, like really difficult and he's very good when he's on the ball. 'I'm just delighted for him. I can now trust him. And that was probably the one element to his game that was missing, that trust. And it's hard to get that trust when every point's a prisoner.' It was business as usual with Scott Pittman scoring for the Lions, before Lewis Smith ballooned the net with a fierce curling effort to thrust the home side two goals up. Robbie Muirhead missed a penalty for the West Lothian outfit and when Ross MacIver pulled a goal back for John McGlynn's men, the fightback looked on. Step forward new signing Jeremy Bokila to notch his first goal for the Almondvale club, leading to Martindale praising his new Congolese international striker. ' So big man's come in,' Martindale stated. 'He's played top tier in a few different countries, but he's come in from the top tier in the Netherlands last year. "One of his main attributes is he's quite physical. He's quite good, but I think he got a wee bit of a shock today. Falkirk were really physical. So it's a different type of game that he was coming in to. But I thought his finish was incredible. Thought it was a great finish for a 36-year-old that hasn't ever played in Scotland before.' The Bairns failed to get the better of the Lions on their way to winning the Championship last season and that is now eight games unbeaten for Livi against their rivals. Livingston now face Hibs next Sunday when they play host to the capital club.
