Kilmarnock accounted for Dundee United at Rugby Park to seal Livingston’s fate, relegation from the top flight of Scottish professional football.
Deas opened the scoring after 20 minutes, forcing home from a flighted corner which eluded the goalkeeper, and new Scotland international, Curtis added a second, profiting from slack defensive work before producing a great finish after 51 minutes.
And Hugill wrapped things up for the home side when he capitalised on a poor pass-back from a United defender to slip the ball past the Dundee goalkeeper 13 minutes later.
The welcome win moves Killie into tenth spot with 31 points from 35 outings, St Mirren, beaten 1-0 at Dundee following a goal from Westley after 12 minutes, slip into the relegation play-off with 30 points from their 35 games and Livingston anchor the 12-strong division with 20 points from the same number of games.
The Lions attempt at a great escape was dented by their 2-2 draw against Aberdeen at The Home of the Set Fare Arena on Friday and extinguished at Rugby Park, but the Almondvale-based side have shown an improvement since the appointment of Marvin Bartley.
The overall season statistics, however, do not make for good reading. They include a 31-game winless streak, a record in the top flight, and Livingston will not want to break further records.
Dundee accumulated only 21 points when they were relegated in the 2018-19 season and the Dens Park club’s total of wins that season was five, a record low. Livingston have so far won only two games, defeating Falkirk at home early in the campaign, a 3-1 success, and earning a victory at St Mirren on Saturday, April 25, a Gogic own goal and a Pittman strike, in their opening game after the split.
Losing late goals has been an Achilles Heel for the West Lothian club who switched managers earlier this year after a 6-2 defeat at Aberdeen, their worst performance of the season so far.
Long-time boss, David Martindale, who had been in the hot seat for over five years, moved into the role of sporting director and Bartley, his assistant, was promoted. Fresh blood, brought in to save Livi from the drop, failed to stem the tide and some of the newcomers have not featured consistently.
Bartley (pictured at a media briefing by Nigel Duncan) has secured a win, six draws and four defeats since taking over, and he gave them hope, but, in reality, defensive frailty and mistakes throughout what has been a difficult season have cost the club who have let in 68 goals.
The former Hibs midfielder remains in post currently, but he conceded this week that no talks have taken place with the club’s owner, American businessman Calvin Ford, about his future. Relegation will undoubtedly prompt a fresh appraisal for the club and the playing staff.
Three matches remain for the Lions, a trip to Dundee on Saturday (15.00), another visit to Tayside, this time to meet Dundee United on Tuesday, May 12 (19.45) and a final fixture at home to Kilmarnock on Sunday, May 14 (14.00).
Bartley’s focus is on those fixtures and the players will, he said, be back in training on Monday preparing. It could be a sombre dressing-room.
