Ross relieved at win

Terrors’ slump continues with defeat at Livingston

second half to cancel out Stephen Robinson’s first-half opener.

After much huffing and puffing they eventually did thanks to a fine strike from substitute Matty Smith with just 15 minutes left.

Between then and Hardie’s heartbreaking, if spectacular, strike, it had been the visitors who looked the more likely to go on and take the points.

But for a fantastic stop by veteran goalkeeper Neil Alexander to deny Stewart Murdoch, they would have edged ahead.

While, though, this was a game that could have been won, timing apart it was hard to argue that if anyone deserved to it was Livi.

They dominated the first half and might easily have been further ahead by the break.

United’s i mprovement in the second period made it a more even contest but the home side continued to look threatening.

In the end, for Laszlo it was about trying to take some crumb of comfort from the play in the second half.

He felt it was good enough to have earned victory and is convinced if his team can keep playing that way, they can get back to winning form.

“I think the boys tried really hard the second half, created chances and scored a goal. I was very confident that we could win the game,” he said.

“And we had the chance to win and the goalkeeper saved. After came their goal and it was painful to lose.

“I can’t even talk that we didn’t have the fighting spirit because the team did everything they could to get three points.” JAC K R o s s a d m i t t e d St Mirren’s narrow 1-0 win over Brechin was a learning experience for his squad.

Kyle Magennis’ free-kick went i n off the bar and goalkeeper Patrick O’Neil to maintain St Mirren’s 11-point lead at the top of the Championship.

But Ross said it had been a difficult afternoon for his players, who missed the chance to go two up when Ian McShane failed t o convert from the spot.

Ross said: “The result is of ultimate importance to us at this stage of the season.

“Kyle’s free-kick was a bit fortunate and we were good up until the half-hour mark and we had the opportunity

Jack Ross to go further ahead with the penalty. If you do that, it becomes a long afternoon for them but we didn’t. “It will be good experience but we won the game and at this stage of the season that’s all that matters.”