LIVINGSTON claimed a massive win at Hibs expense last night as a Jack McMillan goal gave them all three points against the Easter Road side.
It was a well deserved victory for David Martindale’s side who worked their socks off and will feel that the margin of victory could and should have been wider.
Hibs striker Martin Boyle missed a penalty and the Leith side ended the game with nine men after second bookings for Paul McGinn and Paul Hanlon, a sign of just how frustrated they were as the game wore on against their resilient hosts.
There was a note of intent in the manner in which Livingston looked to take the game to Livingston in the early stages. Nicky Devlin was first up to whip an effort wide of the mark after some incisive forward play from Alan Forrest – excellent throughout – and Craig Sibbald had set him up but although he failed to trouble Hibs keeper Matt Macey, it was a clear indication of the hosts’ willingness to get forward.
The Easter Road side have had problems with clean sheets this term – last night’s game now makes it ten without one – but they were not without their own attacking threat. Twice they spooked Livingston with Andrew Shinnie having to head the ball off his own line while Kevin Nisbet ought to have done better with a free header that he directed straight into the arms of Max Stryjek.
It was Livingston, though, who claimed first blood in an opening half in which they enjoyed the best of the chances. McMillan cut in from the left to bring the ball down and hold off the challenge of Jamie Murphy before keeping his cool to steer his effort into the bottom corner.
An immediate opportunity to get back onto level terms presented itself, somewhat fortuitously to Hibs with Martin Boyle winning a penalty from the restart. The Australian internationalist had jinked his way through the Livingston defence but a challenge from Tom Parkes was judged to have been illegal by referee Don Robertson who pointed at the spot, much to the fury of goalkeeper Max Stryjey who was booked for his visceral protests.
Boyle, though, scorned the chance as he lifted his effort high over the crossbar with the Livingston players unable to contain their glee at what they saw as justice being served.
In truth, a later challenge from Jack Fitzwater as he went through the back of Josh Campbell looked like a more authentic call that the penalty that was given.
In between times, however, Livingston had been keen to continue asking questions of the Hibs defence.
The only other moment of consternation from Livingston in the opening period came when a loose header at the edge of the box gifted Kevin Nisbet the chance to pick up the ball and run at the host’s defence but Fitzwater blocked the effort.
Hibs manager Jack Ross made changes at the interval at Murphy and Campbell made way for Scott Allan and Christian Doidge as he looked to find a way back into the game.
It was Livingston, though, who looked the more dangerous of the two. Forrest almost picked out Ayo Obileye at the back post but the ball was slightly too high for the substitute to get any power on.
Livingston had cause for frustration shortly after the hour mark when Shinnie was brought down on the edge of the box by Paul Hanlon. Annoyed that Shinnie was the last man, Livingston were furious that a yellow and not a red card was the result of the infringement. Forrest’s free-kick into the wall only served to add to their sense of injustice.
If anyone was likely to score it looked like Livingston. Omeonga was unlucky with an attempted lob that just sneaked wide while Cristian Montano’s run at Hibs from inside his own half only ended when he tripped on the ball edge of the Leith side’s box.
McGinn and Hanlon’s dismissals for second bookings summed up a miserable night for Hibs.
Livi boss Martindale commented after the match: “It is easy to say it when you win, but there was an apology [from the officials] after the game and who thought they might have got it wrong with Andrew Shinnie and Paul Hanlon. It was a tough game to officiate.
“I don’t think it was a penalty because it was outside the box but it was a sending off and it would have made the game easier for me earlier. It is a big win and we are up to ninth now but from sixth placed down there will be a lot of chopping and changing. We have been in a relegation from matchday 1 and there are two or three clubs who are very similar.
“The first one wasn’t a penalty – Boyle kicked Parkes or stood on him but there was one they didn’t get on Josh Campbell.”
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