A Luke McCowan free kick just before the hour mark succumbed Livingston to their fourth straight defeat despite a good performance in Dundee.

It was just the one change from the side that were defeated 1-0 at Tynecastle on Wednesday night, with Mo Sangare dropping out for Danny Lloyd, who made his first start for the Lions.

Dundee had an early chance when a corner played short was whipped dangerously into the box, with Amadou Bakayoko unable to direct his header towards goal.

Sloppy defensive play from Joe Shaughnessy saw an early yellow after he was deemed to have felled Scott Pittman. Danny Lloyd clipped the resultant free kick towards the opposite end of the box, this was cleared but only as far as Michael Devlin on the edge of the box, although his shot on goal was never troubling Trevor Carson.

Livi had another opportunity three minutes later, with Lloyd getting the ball under control in the centre circle, his pass played through Stephen Kelly who had all the space in the world, however his hesitance allowed Dundee to get back in numbers, with his shot blocked. The rebound fell to Lloyd outside the box, but his effort was also deflected wide for another corner.

Joel Nouble was causing the Dark Blues real problems down the right side, after receiving a nice ball from Miles Welch-Hayes, he cut expertly inside the box, but his shot was again deflected for a corner, which came to nothing.

The tides started turning, with Dundee getting a hold of the ball and drawing multiple corners, with Jason Holt twice having to turn the ball out at the back post following dangerous crosses.

The Lions had their best attempt of the half eight minutes from the break. A beautiful ball from the back found James Penrice, with his cross pinpoint to Nouble at the back post. It looked for all intents and purposes that Livi would score their first goal in four matches, however the ball whistled over the bar.

Four minutes later and the hosts would also grab their best effort of the half. An Owen Beck free kick from the left side was met on the six yard line by Ricki Lamie, the former Lion’s effort falling just wide of the left post.

Dundee came out swinging in the second half and were perhaps unlucky not to take the lead just minutes after the break, with halftime sub Malachi Boateng playing a good ball to Zac Rudden. His header flashed across goal however there was no one to put the ball in the back of the net.

Livi thought they were reduced to 10 men eight minutes into the half. Rudden broke through the defence, with defender Sean Kelly making a rash challenge. Alan Muir gave the red initially for preventing a clear goal scoring opportunity, however following a review with VAR, opted to downgrade this to a yellow. The hosts made the free kick pay, with Luke McCowan expertly curling the ball into the top right corner to take the lead.

The goal seemed to give Livi the bit between the teeth, and following four changes with Dan MacKay, Bruce Anderson, Mo Sangare and Michael Nottingham coming on, tried to take control of the game again. A wonderful cross from Penrice fell beautifully to Dan MacKay, his effort striking the pole holding the net up.

The Lions were still pressing, a long throw from Nottingham falling to Pittman, with his shot blocked. It spun to about 30 yards out, with MacKay meeting it, his shot blocked on route to keeper Carson.

Dundee would have two big chances one after another moments later however, Zach Robinson’s shot from the edge of the box fizzing past the right post courtesy of a Hamilton hand, with Lamie’s header from the resultant corner also going close.

The visitors would edge closer and closer and five minutes from time looked to have gotten an equaliser, with Anderson playing a beautiful cross floated towards Nottingham, his header just off target.

Livi would find themselves with plenty of service in the box with very little reward, plenty of crosses in the final third but there would be no end reward, although Anderson did go close as the clocked ticked over to 90 minutes, his volley inches over the bar.

Into added time and it was all Livi as Dundee defended for their lives, almost to their detriment. A beautiful cross from the right found Anderson whose shot looked like a comfortable take for Carson but for the boot of Shaughnessy which deflected it the other way, forcing Carson into a smart save.

Nottingham’s header from a Sean Kelly corner looked destined for the bottom corner, but this was cleared well, although the header resulted in an injury forcing the defender off.

Match Report: David Hastie

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