Livingston will play Premiership football next season after yesterday’s 1-0 victory over Partick Thistle at Firhill clinched a 3-1 aggregate win in the play-off final.

Hopkin hails ‘magnificent achievement’ as Livi seal top flight return at expense of sorry Partick

PARTICK THISTLE 0 LIVINGSTON 1 (LIVINGSTON WIN 3-1 ON AGG)

David Hopkin hailed a “magnificent achievement” after seeing his Livingston side clinch a return to the Scottish Premiership yesterday.

Dundee United’s play-off conquerors beat Partick Thistle 1-0 at Firhill to claim a 3-1 aggregate victory over the two legs of the play-off final and secure a return to the top flight after 12 years away.

Keaghan Jacobs scored the only goal of the second leg, but Livingston were always in control as they capped off a remarkable season that saw them finish second in the Championship following promotion from the third tier.

“It’s fantastic,” head coach Hopkin said.

“I said before the game that we knew it would be a tough ask to come here and hold out for a draw, and it proved that way but I have to give great credit to my players for the whole season.

“To go and win over two legs at Dundee United and then at Partick Thistle is a magnificent achievement.

“I asked the players at half-time to give me another 45 minutes, because if you think this is hard then it will be even more difficult next season.”

The promotion means Hopkin has led the West Lothian club to two promotions in his two full seasons in charge, and he admitted afterwards that the achievement surpassed anything from his own playing career – which saw him capped by Scotland and enjoy a lengthy spell in the English Premier League.

The win for the Lions means Thistle drop out of the top flight for the first time since promotion back in 2013.

They finished the regular season with the fewest goals in the Premiership and never looked like scoring on a wet afternoon in Glasgow, and manager Alan Archibald accepted his side deserved what they got.

“We’ve not had a good season and the play-offs give you a second chance, and that’s what it was today,” he said.

“If you can’t score at home, you don’t deserve to be in the Premiership and full congratulations to Livingston.”

Archibald insisted he would make no immediate decision on his own future at Firhill, but added: “I feel really responsible. I’ve been involved with the club for 20 years and I feel for the fans; I know how bad it is for them and they are hurting, and I’m the same.

“When I took the job that was my biggest gamble because I have such a good relationship with them and you can ruin it when things like this happen.”

There was a real edge to proceedings in the early stages, with Thistle keen not to let the visitors have it all their own way.

Thistle enjoyed the majority of possession, but the little threat they offered in the opening half hour was from out wide and that played right into Livingston’s hands as their three centrebacks were able to deal with crosses into the box, despite being forced further and further back.

Jordan Thompson and Shaun Byrne each saw shots blocked inside the Jags’ area before former Tannadice midfielder Blair Spittall forced a fine save – the first of the match – with a drive from outside the area that was heading towards the bottom corner.

Despite their best efforts to gee the team on, a lively crowd grew steadily more anxious with their side 45 minutes away from losing their Premiership status.

The killer blow came in the first minute after the break, and again it was Jacobs on target with his third of the season, stroking in from the edge of the area after a cross was knocked back into his path to open up a two-goal lead in the tie.

The game returned to the pattern of the first half, with Thistle dominating but not threatening.

Spittall, Steven Lawless and Christie Elliott eventually had shots easily saved by Neil Alexander, but the hosts never looked like they believed they could close the two-goal gap.

Home fans started to leave the stadium early as it became clear their five-year stay in the Premiership was coming to an end, and Connor Sammon’s miss from the spot merely compounded a bad afternoon as Livingston clinched promotion.

Attendance: 7,122.

Partick: Cerny, McGinn, Barton, Cargill, Elliot,Woods (Edwards 70), McCarthy (Sammon 55), Spittal, Erskine (Booth 75), Lawless, Doolan. Subs not used: Storey, Scully, Devine, Penrice.

Livingston: Alexander, Gallagher, Halkett, Lithgow, Jacobs, Pitman, Byrne, Thompson (Cadden 59), Longridge, Miller (McMillan 68), Robinson (Buchanan 79). Subs not used: Mullin, Frizzell, Maley.

Referee: John Beaton.