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Attendance: 1,615
Livingston logo
Scottish Premiership | Gameweek 29
Mar 9, 2019 at 3pm UK
 
St Johnstone logo

3-1

Halkett (38'), Sibbald (46'), Pittman (92')
FT(HT: 1-1)

Livingston boss Holt delighted with birthday win

Livingston boss Holt delighted with birthday win
© Reuters
The Lions are now 19 points clear of relegation danger.

Livingston manager Gary Holt was delighted his side gave him the 46th birthday he had asked for after the Lions came from behind to beat St Johnstone.

Craig Halkett, Craig Sibbald and Scott Pittman were on the score sheet after Saints captain Joe Shaughnessy had opened the scoring in the 14th minute.

The victory moved the West Lothian outfit 19 points clear of the Ladbrokes Premiership relegation zone and to within five of the top six.

Former Scotland midfielder Holt was thrilled with his team's response to going behind.

He said: "It's a nice present and I asked them for it before the game. I asked them for three points.

"We pride ourselves on clean sheets and not giving goals away, but I said I'd rather take three points today.

"It's always more satisfying when you have to come from behind to do it. It shows character, resilience and everything we're about."

Asked if his side could consider themselves safe with nine games left, Holt said: "There are still 27 points to play for.

"We don't want to focus on being safe already and the season peters out because a malaise sets in."

St Johnstone threatened to spoil Holt's birthday after Shaughnessy fired in Sean Goss' corner after 14 minutes.

But Lions captain Halkett levelled seven minutes before the break with a close-range header before Sibbald nodded in Scott Robinson's cross 42 seconds after the restart.

Saints substitute Tony Watt missed a gilt-edged chance to level in the 89th minute before Scott Pittman added a third in added time.

Saints manager Tommy Wright, whose side have not won in nine matches and are four points adrift of the top six, said: "Tony's chance is a big one.

"He's obviously gutted and he's apologised.

"You don't miss them deliberately, but it's the best chance of the game.

"It's a bad run. We've been here before and it's not nice, but we've caused it ourselves. We've got to learn to defend better.

"I've asked the players where do they want to play their last five games.

"For parts of the game they showed me they want to be a top-six side.

"But that bad spell has killed us and then we didn't show enough urgency. We didn't create enough opportunities."

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St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright pictured in January 2016
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
Championship Group
1Celtic000080265478
2RangersRangers000072234975
3Hearts000046341262
4Kilmarnock00004334951
5St Mirren00003843-543
6Dundee00004454-1041
Relegation Group
1Hibernian00004451-739
2Motherwell00004651-537
3Aberdeen00003549-1435
4St Johnstone00002446-2231
5Ross County00003256-2430
6Livingston00002259-3718
 
First Phase
1Celtic33246380265478
2RangersRangers33243672234975
3Hearts33195946341262
4Kilmarnock33131284334951
5St Mirren33127143843-543
6Dundee331011124454-1041
7Hibernian33912124451-739
8Motherwell33813124651-537
9Aberdeen33811143549-1435
10St Johnstone33710162446-2231
11Ross County3379173256-2430
12Livingston3339212259-3718


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