Livingston rose to the top of the Third Division for the first time this season after defeating Montrose 3-0 at Links Park.

The Lions started the game well, Robbie Winters going close after only a couple of minutes, but their afternoon took a turn for the worse when right back Jonathan Brown received his marching orders midway through the half for a late tackle on Gemmill.

The referee soon evened the numbers up again, however, with Anderson following Brown up the tunnel after 35 minutes after a touchline clash with Andy Halliday.

In terms of chances, Montrose just about edged the first half, hitting the woodwork at one point. At the other end, Halliday and Fox both put shots off target as half time approached.

Montrose keeper Steven Coutts was a busier man after the break and had to look lively to stop a De Vita effort after Halliday fed the ball inside from the right flank.

Coutts was powerless to stop the Italian a few moments later, when De Vita converted after an intelligent ball through from Griffin.

Livi enjoyed their best spell after the goal and Fox came close to a second, only to be denied by the goalkeeper. Cammy MacDonald also got in on the act powering forward from deep, but his shot went wide.

Montrose were still a threat though, and with just one goal between the sides, the outcome of the match was very much in the balance. Sub Daryl Nicol came closest, shooting wide after working himself an opening in the Livi box.

Thankfully, a second Livi goal eventually came Halliday finishing well with ten minutes left.

The win was rounded off in injury time when 16-year old Mark McNulty fired home from eight yards with his first touch on his first team debut.

Montrose: Coutts, Tweed, Milligan, Campbell, Sinclair, Hegarty, Davidson, Anderson (sent off 35), Tomana (Nicol), Watson, Gemmell

Subs not used: Pope, Maitland, Stewart, Stark

Livingston: McKenzie, Talbot, Griffin, Brown (sent off 22), McDonald, Sinclair, Fox, Keaghan Jacobs, Halliday (McNulty), R. Winters (D. Winters), De Vita (Kyle Jacobs)

Subs not used: McDowall, Moyes

Attendance : 433