Livingston ended a four-match run of defeats to share a 1-1 draw with
Kilmarnock to maintain their six point advantage in the race for a UEFA Cup
place.
But Aberdeen's 1-0 win over Dunfermline means the Almondvale side have now
slipped into fourth spot, two points behind the Dons.
Livi had opened the scoring mid-way through the first-half through Barry
Wilson but the home side equalised before the break with a opportunist Craig
Dargo strike.
They should have gone ahead in the seventh minute when Stephen Murray won the
ball in his own half to begin a move that saw Sean Selley sending Andy McLaren
down the left.
Marvin Andrews came across the meeting but McLaren still managed to get in a
low cross but found Garry Hay unmarked and in front of goal.
But somehow the Killie man fired wide.
Livi's response saw a couple of half chances - the last of which saw a Cuino
shot deflected for a corner.
Killie goalkeeper Gordon Marshall came out to punch it away but was hurt in a
collision and although he was able to carry on briefly, he was stretched off
before the game was quarter of an hour old.
His replacement Colin Meldrum was given no chance as Wilson scored the
22nd-minute opener.
The home defence went missing when quick feet from David Fernandez worked the
ball into the wingers path down the left.
He advance onto the exposed Meldrum and expertly lofted the ball over him in
an impressive finish.
Livi almost doubled the lead straight away when Andrews used his height
advantage to head a corner goalwards, only to see it bounce back into play off
the underside of the crossbar.
Killie were convinced they should have had a penalty when Livi left back
Didier Sanbini challenged Dargo on the far side of the area.
The home players soon surrounded referee Douglas McDonald, presumably claiming
the Frenchmen had handled but the official's only response was to book Hessi for
his protest.
But a Killie equaliser was not far away.
The goal was of Livi's own making as Andrews headed back to his own
goalkeeper.
Javier Sanchez Broto almost let McLaren in.
The Spaniard was able to clear his lines but only as far as Dargo, who
steadied himself to find the empty net from 25 yards out.
Livi had two good chances to retake the lead soon after the restart, first
when David Bingham twice failed to make a meaningful connection to an Andrews
header into the danger zone.
The second followed a Wilson cross that Fernandez diverted beyond the far post
and just ahead of the unmarked Cuino.
McLaren was denied a spectacular goal when he threw himself to head a Murray
cross goalwards only to see Broto launched himself skywards to tip it over.
Broto was hurt soon afterwards punching clear from the McLaren challenge but,
unlike Marshall he was able to carry on.
Midfielder Ally Mitchell almost won it for the home side with curling shot
from the edge of the area that only just cleared the cross bar with Broto
helpless to intervene.
There was still time for Broto to make a hash of stoppage time free kick but
Livi survived and were relieved to take a point away from ground where they had
won 5-1 early in the season.
Teams
Kilmarnock: Marshall (Meldrum 14), McGowne, Innes, Hessey, Fowler, Mitchell, Sanjuan (McDonald 69), Hay, Murray, Dargo, McLaren (Boyd 84).
Subs Not Used: Canning, McCutcheon.
Booked: Hessey, Innes.
Goals: Dargo 36.
Livingston: Broto, Hart, Santini, Andrews, Bollan, Makel, Quino (Toure-Maman 79), Lovell, Bingham (Xausa 63), Fernandez, Wilson.
Subs Not Used: McEwan, Petersen, Brittain.
Booked: Bollan.
Goals: Wilson 22.
Att: 6,936
Ref: D McDonald (Scotland).
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