Holt says focus still has to be on survival

Livingston manager Gary Holt confessed his side’s top-six ambitions are on the line after a costly defensive lapse left them nursing a potentially pivotal defeat to St Johnstone.

The Lions stay fifth in the table, despite Callum Hendry’s late winner.

With three games to go until the split, the West Lothian outfit remain in pole position to finish in the top half of the table but are under serious pressure from Hibernian one place below and now Saints only three points back.

Holt maintained the mantra that his side are still aiming to avoid being dragged into the relegation issue.

He said: “We are walking away thinking how have we lost that game?

“It should be a 0-0, put it to bed, forget about it and move on. I think Tommy Wright would be the same.

“There are three games left and we know we have to win games.

“Wherever we end up we’ll end up, it’s the manner of the defeat that is the disappointing thing.

“We are chasing to stay in the league, first and foremost. Yes, we’ve done really well but people think you can’t be critical because we have had a good season and we’re on a good run.

“But that will mean nothing. If we lose the next three games we ain’t in the top six.”

Hendry’s clincher lit up a drab encounter at Mcdiarmid Park.

The Livi manager added: “When you see the conditions and the underfoot conditions you just don’t want to make a mistake or give away any opportunity that could cost you.

“It wasn’t conducive to football.

“We had the better chances and I felt we were comfortable in the game but we have to defend better.

“You can’t come here, do all that work and walk away with nothing.”