Livingston manager David Martindale was focused on clean sheets after his side got off to a winning start in the Premier Sports Cup.

Livi shut out Brechin in a 3-0 victory at Glebe Park to add to the four clean sheets they kept in pre-season friendlies.

Martindale told LFC Live: “When we came into the Premiership, our success in the first year was built on keeping clean sheets. It helped Liam Kelly get a move to QPR with the clean-sheet record. There were games that Liam came off and the back four or back three or five were resoundingly difficult to score against.

“It’s getting back to that. The first half of last season, I don’t think we did that well enough to be honest.

“So it’s been one of the biggest messages that I have been sending during pre-season with the new players that have come in the building, that we need to start getting back to keeping clean sheets. It gives you a basis to go on and win a game of football.”