Modest Holt isn’t taking all the credit for Livi’s rise

Gary Holt believes Livingston’s winning streak is testament to the players and coaching staff at the club prior to his arrival.

The 45-year-old has registered three successive wins since replacing kenny Miller at the helm of the Lions, with Steven Lawless’ early strike securing a 1-0 triumph over a poor Hamilton outfit on Saturday.

The result sees Livi surge into third place in the Premiership, level on points with champions Celtic.

Nevertheless, Holt is loathe to take all the credit for Livingston’s sparkling form, insisting the spirit of the squad allied with the efforts of the existing backroom team – led by assistant boss David Martindale – has been key.

Holt, pictured inset, said: “It’s great to have three wins in a row and that is testament to the lads and the staff that were here before me. They have helped to keep things seamless and I’ve just fine-tuned and tweaked a few things.

“The table makes good reading but I know we’ll lose games as well as win them and I know where we want to be at the end of the season.

“I think we were the better team on Saturday. Was it the best game of football in the world? I wouldn’t say so, but, in terms of chances, I think we deserved it.”

Livingston’s dominance merited a more handsome victory, with Craig Halkett striking the post with a header, Scott Pittman fizzing a powerful drive wide of the post and Dolly Menga shooting wide from point-blank range.

Hamilton have slipped to three successive defeats and the travelling supporters at the Tony Macaroni Arena made their dissatisfaction known at full-time.

“Too many times the ball bounced off our strikers, and the delivery we were putting up there was not good enough,” said Accies boss Martin Canning after his team failed to register a single effort on target.