There was to be no festive cheers for the Lions at Easter Road as a cintrovertial early red card for Jason Holt turned the game on its head.

Livi’s Jason Holt saw red early before goals from Kevin Nisbet, Chris Cadden and Kyle Magennis had the Easter Road side 3-0 up at the break.

Magennis then scored his second header of the game after the interval, before Livingston saw successive penalties incredibly saved by Marshall.

The game’s key moment came after 14 minutes when Holt slid in and caught Nisbet with his follow-through. The Livi midfielder was shown red and Hibs took full advantage of their numerical advantage.

Ryan Porteous’ free-kick from the edge of the box was then palmed away by Ivan Konovalov, but only into the path of Nisbet, whose shot went in via the near post.

And just 74 seconds later, Hibs doubled their lead. Nisbet released Cadden down the right-hand side, and the home full-back rifled a low shot into the far corner.

Hibs boss Lee Johnson celebrated gleefully with his staff, while David Martindale cut a forlorn figure in the opposite dugout. Things would soon go from bad to worse for him.

Magennis seemingly had the freedom of Leith as he wandered into the Livingston box to head home Elie Youan’s innocuous-looking cross. It wrapped up the three points for the hosts before half-time, and things continued in the same vein after the break as Magennis nodded in again.

Livingston posed next to no threat at the other end, but were given the chance to grab a late consolation when Marijan Cabraja felled Esmael Goncalves just inside the box.

Goncalves stepped up, but Marshall flung himself away to his left to save a rather tame spot-kick.

In the aftermath, the ball bobbled up and struck Joe Newell on the arm, and referee Craig Napier showed no hesitation in pointing to the spot once more, allowing Marshall to deny Jack Fitzwatwer this time.

Match Report: George O’Neill (BBC)

Hibernian: Marshall, Hanlon (Henderson 61), Stevenson (Cabraja 77), Bushiri (Fish 61), Cadden, Youan, Newell ▊, Magennis (McKirdy 71), Porteous ▊, Campbell, Nisbet (Melkersen 70)
Subs not used: Schofield, McGeady, Mitchell, Kenneh
Goals: Nisbet (33), Cadden (35), Magennis (40 & 50)

Livingston: Konovalov, Fitzwater, Devlin ▊ (Gonçalves 74), Montaño  (Boyes 65), Obileye, Pittman , Holt ▊, Anderson (Penrice 74), Shinnie ▊, St.Kelly (Omeonga 45), Bahamboula (Longridge ▊28)
Subs not used: Hamilton, Sn.Kelly, Cancar

Referee: Craig Napier
HT: 0-3
Att: 15,260

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