Lions off the pace as Hearts secure victory
Livingston slumped to a 2-0 loss away to Hearts but remained in the top six as results elsewhere went in their favour.
The Lions could have no complaints after an out-ofsorts performance and were lucky to only have been a goal down at the interval after Beni Baningime rolled the ball home from close range after three minutes.
They would threaten more in the early stages of the second half but a sensational volley just before the hour mark from Barrie McKay ensured the points stayed in Edinburgh.
Livingston were without leading scorer Bruce Anderson, who sustained an ankle injury earlier in the week, and elected to go with Alan Forrest as the central striker.
The visitors got off to the worst possible start when they found themselves a goal down after just three minutes. They failed to deal with a delivery into the box from the left flank with the ball ultimately falling perfectly
for Baningime to poke home from close range.
The hosts looked up for it from the first whistle and were denied a second on 10 minutes only thanks to a fine stop from Max Stryjek after Ellis Simms had been played in behind the
defence while Stephen Kingsley was inches wide with his header from McKay’s corner.
Hearts would dominate the first half as they were camped inside the Livi half for large spells but were ultimately unable to threaten a second.
The break allowed the away side a much-needed chance to regroup and they instantly looked more of an attacking threat after the interval.
Joel Nouble darted down the right flank and cut inside Kingsley with ease but couldn’t get his footing right at the crucial moment.
Patient build-up play would then lead to Forrest cutting in from the left and forcing Craig Gordon into a fine save from an angled drive.
While the Lions were showing much more attacking intent, they continued to look vulnerable at the back and would find themselves two down just before the hour mark as McKay wonderfully volleyed back across goal from a Nathaniel Atkinson cross and into the far corner.
That sparked five substitutions in quick succession as Martindale tried to find a way back into the game – which almost arrived 15 minutes from time when Andrew Shinnie latched onto a wonderful pass over the top only to be denied by the everimpressive Gordon.
Hearts would comfortably manage the final moments to further cement their grip on third place while the Lions fall to sixth with just four points separating the seven sides between fourth and 10th.