Livingston boss Jim Leishman has urged his side to find out just what UEFA Cup opponents Sturm Graz are made of as they bid to overturn their 5-2 first-leg deficit at Almondvale.

The West Lothian side fell apart in 10 suicidal second-half minutes in the Arnold Schwarzenegger Stadium a fortnight ago but two late goals from skipper Stuart Lovell and former Real Madrid striker Roly Zarate have given them a glimmer of hope for the return leg.

The Austrians' own calamitous 90 minutes against Rangers at Ibrox two years ago, when they crashed 5-0 in the Champions League, was obviously still fresh in Leishman's mind as he called on his side to have a go at their more experienced rivals  while ensuring they don't concede the away goal which would finally kill off the tie.

He said: "Although we've got to go and take one or two chances we've got to try and not lose a goal. That's the first thing.

"People have said `you'll want to score early on' but I'm quite happy scoring in the 44th minute and two in the 90th minute. It's important to go ahead before they score. We want to score and see what they're made of.

"It's not important when we score the goals, it's important that we score three.

"Can we do it? We've got to believe. The feeling, when you're talking about it, is that if we score in the first half then they might panic a bit.

"We've got to be sensible but there'll be a stage where we've got to throw a bit of caution to the wind and take a chance here and there. And if we get them on the back foot then they've lost before away from home."

However, with six first-team members already missing and doubts remaining over Zarate and midfielder Cherif Toure-Maman, Leishman, whose side currently sit rooted to the foot of the Premier League, has troubles of his own going into the tie.

And he admits that the Austrians are very much in control and huge favourites to progress to the second round after handing out a footballing lesson in the first leg.

"They've got good players. In that 12-minute spell if you had been a neutral you would have been sitting back in awe. They could have scored more over there.