Pittman the real deal for Livi as Hibs pay the price
DAVID MARTINDALE is anticipating contract talks with Scott Pittman being like so many of his performances for Livingston.
Carried out with the minimum of fuss, resulting in a rewarding outcome for both parties.
‘Pitts will sign, no bother,’ said Martindale. ‘For the first four years at the club, he never asked me a thing about his contract.
‘I always gave him what I could afford and we never talked money. He’s then worked his way up and is now one of the club’s top earners.
‘There’s a year left on his deal. But I’m going to speak to his agent to get him tied down and take him through to his testimonial year and beyond.’
Seven and a half seasons after his 2015 arrival from Junior football, Pittman made his 124th top-flight appearance to break a club record.
He topped a proud day with his fourth goal of the campaign, lifting Livingston above visitors Hibernian and into seventh place.
Against St Johnstone next Saturday, Pittman can reach the milestone of 300 games in all competitions.
‘I am so happy he broke the record but he will smash all the records at this club,’ said Martindale.
‘Keaghan Jacobs is 10 games ahead of him for the record in all competitions but he could surpass that by 100 at least.
‘He’s a local boy and it’s great to see as I don’t think it will ever be done again.
‘He’s a living legend at Livingston, he’s a stallion and I have told him that he needs to remain as the fittest player at the club.
‘He’s just one of those players who’s such a good fit. You’ve seen boys move over the years and it doesn’t quite work out when they go to other clubs.
‘Pitts is where he is loved and valued and he brings a lot to this club. There’s a lot to be said for that loyalty.’
Paul Hanlon and Lewis Stevenson bring long service to the Hibernian team but they must be pining for continuity in the manager position.
Big names Roy Keane and Phillip Cocu have been linked in the past week.
If they looked in on this effort, they were granted an entirely typical, frustrating Hibs afternoon. Young loan stars Ewan Henderson and Harry Clarke showed flashes of their promise and will be back next season.
But caretaker coach David Gray is plagued by the same issues as Jack Ross and Shaun Maloney before him this season.
Hibs had 18 attempts on goal without forcing a save from goalkeeper Ivan Konovalov. Standing in for the banned Max Stryjek, Konovalov (left) is the first Russian to feature in English or Scottish football since his country invaded Ukraine.
Martindale’s appeal to fans not to turn on Konovalov was heeded.
Thanks to captain Nicky Devlin’s brilliant block, on his 100th Livingston outing, Josh Doig was denied. And Pittman intervened just in time to divert Henderson’s drive over the crossbar as Hibs failed to make their first half dominance count.
Only a Matt Macey and Hanlon mix-up gave Livi a first-half opening, one spurned when Joel Nouble’s weak header was cleared.
They were far brisker in their work thereafter, typified by that man Pittman’s winner. An incisive Morgan Boyes pass sent Andrew Shinnie bursting into the penalty box.
Shinnie’s clever cutback was steered superbly beyond Macey’s reach by the 29-year-old club stalwart.
Elias Melkersen slid Hibernian’s best second-half opportunity wide but Livingston remained the more dangerous side.
Nouble, such a nightmare to handle for Hibs, was clean through but denied by the legs of Macey as he sought his first goal since returning from Arbroath.
Joe Newell’s disastrous pass across his own goal was met by Alan Forrest but he fired wastefully into the side netting.
And the substitute winger then found Macey inspired to tip over his 20-yard dig in stoppage time.
Hibs caretaker Gray said: ‘In the first half we were good, pretty much dominated.
‘We created lots of chances, nullified them and passed the ball well. But we should have been more clinical and taken our chances.
‘It kind of sums up our season.’