Ross County v Livingston (agg 1-1): Test of nerve as sides battle for Scottish Premiership place

The 33-year-old central defender has had quite the football journey. Rangers starlet, big money move to Liverpool, Championship-winning captain at Hearts. Add to that a transatlantic adventure in Major League Soccer and Scotland caps along the way and the boy’s done good.

Wilson has been a rock at the back for his hometown club, who have a defensive record to be proud of this season.

In recent weeks he has also chipped in at the other end. A goal against Partick Thistle at Firhill in the semi-final, he would find the net again in the final against County. His deflected effort put Livi in front on the stroke of half-time.

But how crucial could his late tug on the jersey of County striker Jordan White prove to be? VAR has been nowhere to be seen throughout the Championship season, but suddenly it was front and centre as – rightly – it awarded the Premiership side a lifeline.

The resulting penalty from Ronan Hale was dispatched with power and expertise. A 17th goal of the season in all competitions for the striker who looks like the shrewdest bit of business done in Dingwall last summer. The tie was suddenly level.

Hale’s verve, invention and eye for goal will be the big hope again for County on Monday evening. At times in West Lothian they went direct in the hope that second balls would break to the Northern Irish livewire in his favoured territory, 20 yards or so from goal.

The former Cliftonville man is the sort of player who makes things happen and seems unnerved by big moments.

“He has ice in his veins,” is how BBC Scotland pundit Michael Stewart put it as we talked through the Sportscene highlights on Thursday night.

Those in charge at Ross County would always have had hope in this tie but the first-leg draw gives that hope a more positive hue.