It was a lifeless 0-0 draw last time out for Livingston as they took a point and clean sheet on the road in Paisley. Despite both sides hitting the woodwork, the battle for 7th would end goalless as Livingston all but secured that top of the bottom six berth.

Livi boss David Martindale made three changes from the side that drew with St Johnstone at the weekend. Ayo Obileye, Andrew Shinnie and Odin Bailey all dropped to the bench, and in came Jackson Longridge, Caleb Chukwuemeka and Alan Forrest.

Forrest fortuitously had the first shot on goal in the early stages of the game. A cross to the back post looked like it had been dealt with, but the ball sat nicely for the winger and he wriggled past Joe Shaughnessy only to be denied by an alert Jack Alnwick from close range.

St Mirren had their first real chance of the match shortly after, and really should have taken the lead. A tantalising delivery by Scott Tanser from a free-kick was met at the far post by Curtis Main, but the striker saw his effort rebound off the post and ricochet away for a goal kick.

Up the other end, Forrest came close again after some brilliant dribbling took him behind both Ryan Flynn and Marcus Fraser. The attacker drove into the box and fired at Alnwick with a little more power this time, but the stopper made another solid save.

Sean Kelly’s corner found the head of Chukwuemeka inside the box, but the on loan Aston Villa forward couldn’t direct his header towards goal. Then, Joel Nouble was played through on goal in what looked like a glorious chance as he burst through one on one with Alnwick, but the striker wasn’t able to get the ball to sit for him as he couldn’t muster an effort towards goal.

That would be the last chance of an uneventful first half, and the second 45 would be much of the same with both sides pushing for a winner to no avail.

Nicky Devlin came close in the second half as he burst forward down the right. His powerful shot forced Alnwick to tip over the bar. Up the other end, the Saints had a couple of chances through Flynn and Alex Grieve, but neither tested Ivan Konovalov.

Devlin was involved heavily defensively in the next passage of play and the Lions had him to thank for keeping them level. Jay Henderson’s shot looked like it had beaten Konovalov, but there was the Livi captain to scoop the ball away on the line showing fantastic anticipation.

The game burst into life in the final five minutes as both teams had chances late on. Conor McCarthy headed wide from Tanser’s corner despite creating space for a free header at the back post.

In the final foray forward for Livingston, a brilliant bursting run forward from Devlin had the travelling fans off their seats. The skipper found Odin Bailey inside the box, and he jinked past his man with a few step-overs before smashing the bar with a curling right-footed effort.

Despite both sides trying, the game would peter out as a goalless draw with the visitors probably the happier of the two teams. The point ensures a 7th placed finish for David Martindale’s side barring a 12 goal swing between the Lions and St Mirren on the final day of the season, and it stretches the unbeaten run to five matches.

Match Report: Calum Brown

St Mirren: Alnwick, Fraser, Shaughnessy, McCarthy, Tanser, Flynn (Henderson 76), Gogic ▊, Erhahon (Power 77), Kiltie, Main, Grieve
Subs not used: Lyness, Millar, Gilmartin, Brophy
Goals:

Livingston: Konovalov, Devlin, Fitzwater ▊, Boyes, Longridge (Obileye 81), Holt (Omeonga 73), Kelly ▊, Pittman (Sibbald 81), Chukwuemeka (Soto 63), Forrest ▊ (Bailey 63), Nouble
Subs not used: Maley, Lewis, Montaño, Shinnie
Goals:

Referee: Kevin Clancy
HT: 0-0
Att: 4,554

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