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A double from Derek Lilley and some solid defending saw the Lions ease past HIVernian and jump into fifth spot, two points behind Dundee and Hearts in third and fourth spot. Livingston entertain one of the bigot brothers next week, a match that will see Buckfast supplies in the new town disappear as quick as the methadone supplies at a Parkhead chemist.
Here is the livifanzine.com Match report
I’ve never seen a stadium empty so fast. When Derek Lilley slotted the ball past the helpless Anderson in the Hibs goal, the Easter Road faithful all headed for the exit and the Livingston supporters all started to have a party. This wasn’t the was it was supposed to be for the Hibernian supporters, the Lions were without their manager, a side without a leader, or that’s what we Lions made them believe.
Alan Preston and Billy Kirkwood dangled the meat before the Lions at the start of the game, Livi were fired up for this one and the Hibs players never even stood a chance as Livingston ripped them apart.
Livingston started the game well for a change but it was Hibs who nearly scored the opening goal in the first five minutes Garry O’Connor got on the end of a brilliant Scott Brown header, but the Hibs man never even hit the target as he has a head like a biscuit tin, and the Lions cleared the ball to safety.
Livingston were next to threaten the Hibs goal when Marvin Andrews powered a great shot goal bound, but the ball was blocked and although Davide Fernandez slotted the ball past the Hibs goalie, the linesman chalked the goal off as the on-loan magician had wandered into an offside position. A near miss which Hibs should have learned their lesson, but the Lions were coming more and more into the game at this point of the match.
Hibs nearly scored after that when defender Matthias Doumbe fed O'Connor who ran near enough the length of the park but his fierce shot was bravely blocked the solid line of Livi defenders and the ball spun out for a corner.
The Lions deservedly punished the sloppy Hibs defending in the 39th minute when Murdock tried to be too casual at the back and Fernandez nipped the ball off him and played a great ball to Lilley who fired the ball past Anderson in the Hibs goal. A great finish but Fernandez has to be given some of the credit for winning the ball in the first place.
Derek Lilley got booked just after half time after stopping Hibs from taking a quick free-kick and this frustrated the Hibs supporters even more. Jarkko Wiss tried his luck with a long-range shot on the hour mark but on form Livi keeper Roddy McKenzie saved the ball comfortably at his near post. Livingston were happy to soak up this kind of pressure from Hibs and the supporters rubbed it in even more by singing “can we play you every week”.
Hibs at this point were trying for an equalizer but a mistake from Wiss gave Derek Lilley an opportunity to extend the Lions lead but the ex-Dundee United man panicked and fluffed his shot, which ended up going well wide of the target. A lucky escape for the Hibees but it was only a matter of time before the Lions were going to punish the Hibs defenders.
Davide Fernandez was next to put the Hibs defenders under pressure, and he nearly got himself on the scoresheet when he jinxed past Murdock near the corner flag, he waltzed into the box, beat another Hibs defender comfortably but his low drive was luckily saved by Anderson and the ball was cleared to safety. Livingston should have been 4 or 5 up by now and only poor finishing on our part was preventing this.
Hibs showed why they are struggling at the moment when substitute Dobbie showed some great skill to glide past three Livi players and hammer the ball across the 6-yard line but his team-mates were nowhere to be seen and the ball ended up going out for a throw in to the Lions.
Livingston did find the finishing touch with eight minutes remaining and it was a goal worth waiting for. Some delightful play from Fernandez and Makel saw the ball being fed to Lilley who calmly squeezed the ball past the Hibs goalie and sent the Livingston supporters wild.
A fully deserved win for Livingston and another clean sheet.
Hibernian: Andersson, Orman, Edge, Murdock, Doumbe, Glass (McManus 72), Brebner, Murray, Wiss, Brown (Riordan 64), O'Connor (Dobbie 64). Subs Not Used: Hyldgaard, Whittaker.
Livingston: McKenzie, McNamee, McAllister, Rubio, Andrews, Dorado, Fernandez, Makel, Lilley (McGovern 88), Lovell (O'Brien 85), Kerr. Subs Not Used: Montgomery, Paul McLaughlin, Miller.
Attendance: 8,562
Referee: C Thomson