Livi missed the chance to go level on points with the Dumbarton in a game in which the Lions twice led but were stunned with a late Chris Kane equaliser.

After back to back home defeats, John McGlynn freshened things up with four changes from the side that lost to Queen of the South. Out went Jamieson, Docherty, McNulty and Burchill who were replaced my Walker, Barrowman, Habai and Mevlja with the latter pair making their first starts for the club.

There was also a blast from the past amongst the substitutes as goalkeeping coach Ian McCaldon was named on the bench.

The game started fairly quietly but the first chance of real note came to the home side as Jordan Kirkpatrick found himself in acres of space just six yards from goal but he shot wide without really troubling Walker.

Livi slowly began to get into the game and on another night, Andy Barrowman could have helped himself to a double brace before half-time. A long ball forward from O’Brien was headed wide before Mampuya’s low cross was fired goal wards but Grindlay done well to save. Another headed effort just looped wide before a real contender for miss of the season. A corner was only cleared as far as O’Brien and he dinked the ball back into the box post where Fordyce rose highest to nod the ball across goal for what looked like a tap in for Barrowman but he somehow trundled the ball wide with goal at his mercy.

The last chance of the half came Alloa’s way but Megginson’s dipping shot dropped over Walker’s bar and the sides went up the tunnel goalless.

Given the lack of goals at the interval, you would have been forgiven for not expecting much in the second period – oh, how wrong you’d have been!

Only a few minutes into the second half and a fairly innocuous looking challenge from Talbot on Fleming seemed to rile the Dumbarton player up and given he was already on a yellow card, his raised hands reaction meant referee Stevie O’Reilly had no option but to send him packing.

At this point, the game took another twist as referee O’Reilly left the field of play due to injury and an appeal was put out to the crowd for anyone with refereeing qualifications to make themselves known to the Dumbarton officials. Thankfully for the 562 in attendance, Livi fan Colin Brown stepped forward and he ran the nearside touchline with assistant referee Raymond Whyte taking control in the middle.

Almost immediately from the restart, Livi took the lead. Keaghan Jacobs won possession in the middle of the park and after driving forward; he cut inside and fired a low shot beyond Grindlay to break the deadlock.

That lead only lasted six minutes though before substitute and ex-Livi trialist Colin Nish pulled the game level. A long ball forward wasn’t dealt with and Nish stuck a leg out to lob Walker from all of 25 yards.

Chris Kane came close for Dumbarton from the edge of the area shortly after but it was the away side that went back ahead seven minutes after Nish’s equaliser.

Some neat passing play between O’Brien and Mampuya ended with the ball being pulled back to Jacobs and his ball into the box found Barrowman who was, this time, able to pass the ball beyond Grindlay and put the Lions back ahead.

At that point, many would have fancied Livi to see out the game given the one man advantage but it was Dumbarton who looked the most likely to score. Megginson was unlucky to see his shot cleared by Barrowman and then it was Mensing to the rescue as he headed clear despite being under pressure from the Dumbarton frontline.

Barrowman did nearly seal the win with a shot from 10 yards but Grindlay was equal to the effort. From his kick out though, the Sons found themselves back in the game.

The high kick was contested between Nish and Mensing and with the ball ricocheting through the backline, Chris Kane latched on to the loose ball and flicked it beyond Walker to square the game deep in to injury time.

Barrowman did have one last chance for Livi but in somewhat keeping up with the sort of night he was having, his header from McNulty’s flick on went wide of the post and the Lions had to settle for coming back home with just the one point to show for their efforts.

Dumbarton: Grindlay, McGinn, Graham, Miller, Linton, Kirkpatrick, Agnew (Gilhaney 68), Turner (Megginson 8), Prunty (Nish 68), Kane, Fleming
Subs not used: Lumsden, McDougall, Thomson, Smith

Livingston: Walker, Barrowman, Fordyce, Habai (McNulty 67), Kn.Jacobs, Mampuya, Mensing, Mevelja, O'Brien, Scott (Burchill 90+11), Talbot (Docherty 83)
Subs not used: McCaldon, Denholm, Sives, Wilkie

Referee: Stevie O'Reilly

Attendance: 562

Match report: Dave Black