Robbie Muirhead calmed nerves with a cool finish as Livingston edged promotion rivals, Dunfermline, in a bruising battle at The Home of the Set Fare Arena.
It was a rare moment of quality in a match which was graced by warm sunshine and was not a festival of football. Rather, it was more of a war of attrition.
Certainly, Muirhead’s strike was memorable. Substitute Ryan McGowan sent a ball out ot the left and the subsequent floated cross to Muirhead was dispatched with clinical efficiency, his sweet volley from just inside the Dunfermline box was a joy.
It was no more that the home side deserved in a match which saw Livi take the lead through Dutch-born Bradley van Hoeven just before the break.
He latched onto a ball from the right, dropped his shoulder and let fly, sending the ball across Dunfermline goalkeeper Aston Oxborough.
The home fans stood to applaud, possibly in relief, as Dunfermline held the upper hand for spells in the opening session. Indeed, they threatened in the opening minutes through skipper Robbie Fraser but he overhit his cross. A wasted opportunity.
Brooklyn Kabongolo then cleared after a low cross and Jerome Prior produced a fine save from a deflection before making a double stop to deny Neil Lennon’s men.
Andrew Tod had a shot blocked by Prior and a Callumn Morrison strike flashed wide.
Morrison had bevered around in the first 45 minutes and Livingston did not help themselves with a number of unforced errors.
However, Emmanuel Danso helped kept The Pars at bay alongside Kabongolo and Van Hoeven’s goal in 44 minutes altered the game. The home side were more effective second half after a real scare when Allan Oyirwoth’s acrobatic volley was tipped over by Livingston’s goalkeeper.
At the other end, referee Kevin Clancy waved away home protests after Bruce Anderson appeared to have been pushed near the penalty spot.
Oyirwoth was robbed near his penalty box and Jordan Doherty capitalised. His cross flashed across the goal area and van Hoeven just failed to connect, a real let-off for the visitors.
There was an even bigger scare for Dunfermline soon after when Nurudeen Abdulai headed of the line after a bout of head tennis in the Pars box, and Scott Pittman and Doherty combined only to see Anderson send a shot wide of the right upright.
In the dying minutes, Muirhead picked up the ball on the right side, drove forward only to be tugged back by Oyirwoth. The Livi captain took the free-kick and the ball crashed against the bar.
It came back into play and dropped towards substitute Tyrese Sinclair. He headed wide from a central position and how the fans groaned as it seemed easier to score, but the ball did arrive at speed.
The points were secured by Muirhead’s strike leaving ex-Hibs and Celtic boss, Lennon, an exasperated figure, standing with hands on hips on the touchline in the later stages as his men failed to count.
His team slip to eighth spot with only two points in the William Hill Championship from two draws and a defeat while Livi are fourth on six points thanks to two wins and a defeat.
They travel to Arbroath next Saturday (15.00) with three bus loads of fans making the journey, courtesy of club bosses, to Gayfield to cheer them on.
