Livi secured back-to-back pre-season victories as they saw off League Two side Arbroath on a pleasant evening at Gayfield.

The Lions arrived in Angus having finished third in Spartans' invitational tournament at the weekend and looking to round off their pre-season campaign with another victory ahead of the big kick off in Dumfries next Saturday. Boss John McGlynn made seven changes to the side which defeated Falkirk on Sunday, including handing a first start to young right back Darren Moffat.

The game started slowly but burst into life on 11 minutes when Kyle Jacobs latched on to a woefully underhit pass back from Kevin Nicoll and lifted a fine finish over David Crawford into the top corner. Arbroath came close to an equaliser when Darren Jamieson could only clear to Kevin Buchan thirty yards out. He took a touch and then fired in a lofted effort but Craig Sives was in the right place at the right time to head clear.

Incredibly, Livi then went straight up the other end and doubled their lead in identical circumstances as Crawford beat Ogleby to a through-ball but could only toe it out to Danny Mullen who lifted a sublime shot over the retreating defenders and into the net. Arbroath continue to carry an intermittent threat and came close again when Scott McBride curled in a terrific shot from 25 yards which beat Jamieson all ends up but cracked back off the post.

Rob Ogleby then came close for Livi when he was played clean through but saw his angled drive blocked by Crawford. Arbroath had the final chance of the half when their trialist Parejo drove at the Livi defence before curling a low shot which Jamieson did well to push wide and ensure that the Lions went in at the break with a two-goal cushion.

broath started the second half strongly and came close to pulling a goal back on 53 minutes when Simon Murray beat Jamieson to a long ball over the top but his touch was too heavy and by the time he caught up to the ball he was unable to force it in from a tight angle. They came even closer on the hour mark when McBride curled a deep free kick to the back post where Bobby Linn was unmarked and his volleyed effort was well tipped over by Jamieson. Despite Arbroath's pressure it was Livi who struck again on 66 minutes when youngster Moffat, who impressed throughout down the right hand side, broke clear and curled in a fine cross which Miles Hippolyte rose brilliantly to flick a header into the far corner.

The goal allowed Livi to retake control of the game and they began to pepper the Arbroath goal with efforts, Hippolyte almost adding a fourth when his 25-yard drive was parried by sub keeper Scott Morrison. Mullen was next to go close and Moffat was again the provider as he whipped in a cross to the back post which Mullen did well to meet but could only head back across goal and over the bar.

Livi continued to press and Mullen drove at the Arbroath defence and drove in a low angled shot which Morrison tipped wide. From the resulting corner, Jacobs knocked the ball down at the far post for Ogleby but his hooked shot drifted wide. Another corner followed soon after and this time found Gallagher unmarked but his bullet header flew just wide at the near post.

The final chance fell to Arbroath when Linn fired in a deflected strike which dipped just over the bar. The referee blew the final whistle seconds later to confirm a comfortable victory for Livi and set them up perfectly for next week's Petrofac Training Cup trip to Queen of the South.

Arbroath: Crawford (Morrison), Fisher, Johnstone (McWalter), Erhard (Travis), Little (Scott), Nicol (Birse), Linn, Thoutang (Lindsay), Buchan (McManus), Parejo (Murray), McBride.

Livingston: Jamieson, Moffat, Fordyce, Gallagher, Sives, Ky.Jacobs, McKenna, O'Brien (c), Ogleby, Mullen, Hippolyte

Match report: Andrew Crawford