A stoppage time winner from Ryan McGowan condemned ten-man Arbroath to a fourth straight defeat as Livingston snatched all three points in West Lothian.
The Lichties could well have won the game themselves with a spirited performance, but McGowan’s scrappy goal in the final moments was enough to earn Livingston a 1-0 win and a first at home since August.
Following last week’s defeat at Inverness, Colin Hamilton and David Gold made two changes with Charlie Dewar and Scott Stewart replacing the injured Tom Beadling and Ryan Flynn. Sean Mackie meanwhile returned to a depleted bench that showed just six players.
Arbroath had more of the play in the opening half an hour but neither side was able to create any sort of clear-cut chance on goal.
Stewart flashed a ball across goal that was just out of the reach of Michael McKenna as he tried to apply the finishing touch, while Tyrese Sinclair failed to get any purchase on his effort at the other end as Aidan McAdams gathered with ease.
Livi’s first real shot came just beyond the 30-minute mark when Robbie Muirhead tried his luck from all of 35 yards with a free kick that flew comfortably over the bar.
The best chance of the half came in stoppage time when a brilliant free kick from Jack Wilkie was met by the head of McGowan, who could only nod wide.
Things were more open after the break but again, chances were at a premium. Stewart’s effort that skipped off the surface forcing Jerome Prior to parry was the only shot on target in the opening stages of the half, before Sam Nicholson’s powerful strike at the other end was spilled by McAdams on 68 minutes.
Livingston looked destined to open the scoring five minutes from time when former Arbroath loanee Brooklyn Kabongolo headed goalwards from close range, but McAdams managed to block his effort and keep the game level.
McKenna was late into a foul as the Lichties tried to get the ball up the pitch, earning himself a second yellow in the process and forcing Arbroath to see out the remaining few minutes with ten men.
Just as the match looked certain to end goalless, Kabongolo again rose highest to power a header goalwards that was cleared off the line before McGowan turned home the loose ball to win it for Livi at the death.
Livingston: Prior; Doherty, Kabongolo, McGowan, Wilkie; Pittman, Danso (Denholm, 54’), Polworth (Van Hoeven, 70’); Sinclair (Anderson, 59’), Muirhead, Nicholson (May, 70’)
Arbroath: McAdams; Watson, Dewar, O’Brien (Winter, 70’), Paterson; MacIntyre, Reid; Stewart, McKenna, Dow; Reilly (Daly, 80’)
Attendance: 1,245
