Livingston 1-0 Hibernian: Jack McMillan's first goal in three years earns win

Jack McMillan's opening goal was his first in three years

Hibernian's alarming Scottish Premiership slump continued as Livingston ended a six-game winless run with a much-deserved victory.

Jack McMillan's first goal since 2018 gave the hosts a 16th-minute lead.

Martin Boyle then had the chance to equalise from the spot just two minutes later after going down under a soft challenge, but he blazed over the bar.

The visitors, who had Paul McGinn and Paul Hanlon dismissed late on, rarely threatened in a sobering second half.

The defeat leaves Hibs seventh after just one win - and seven defeats - in nine league games, with manager Jack Ross leaving hours after the match on Thursday morning.

As for Livingston, the win drags David Martindale's side from 11th to ninth - opening up a five-point cushion on bottom club Ross County, who have played two games fewer.

• Reaction & as it happened

Chris Cadden's exclusion from the starting line-up after suffering a knock saw Hibs move to a 4-2-3-1 formation from the off.

The switch benefitted the visitors early, as full-backs McGinn and Josh Doig were always options on the overlap, while Josh Campbell was catching the eye playing in behind striker Kevin Nisbet.

The away side were piling on the pressure as Jamie Murphy had a header cleared off the line before the winger crossed for Nisbet, who saw another headed attempt go straight into the arms of Max Stryjek.

But Hibs, who were nine games without a clean sheet, left gaps at the back and were almost punished when Craig Sibbald's fine reverse ball found Nicky Devlin marauding forward, but the right-back flashed his strike wide.

However, the hosts made no mistake when good work from Andrew Shinnie on the left resulted in the former Hibs man finding McMillan, who coolly slotted home from close range under pressure.

The home side's good work was very nearly undone just two minutes after breaking the deadlock, though, when hesitant defending allowed Boyle to jink his way into the box.

The Australia international went down under a trip from Tom Parkes, leaving Livingston players incensed as they believed Boyle went to ground too easily.

But justice was served in the eyes of the home crowd when Boyle leathered his penalty over the crossbar.

Hibs were rattled after a couple manic minutes and almost shipped a second when Sibbald's side-foot finish was directed wide of Matt Macey's goal.

Apart from a Nisbet free-kick, that whistled just past Stryjek's left-hand post, Hibs failed to get back into gear in the first half while the home side appeared to be galvanised.

Ross removed Murphy and Campbell at half-time, throwing on Christian Doidge and Scott Allan in the hope of finding a way back into the game.

But, despite Nisbet and Allan directing opportunities off target, it made the visitors more vulnerable as Livingston got more joy in attack.

The home side wanted Hanlon off for a straight red card when the Hibs defender wiped out Shinnie on the edge of the box, but the centre-back got away with a yellow.

In truth, it looked like Ross' side were playing with a man down for majority of the second half as Alan Forrest ran riot.

Firstly, the Livingston winger had a strike saved by Macey, before a dangerous cross was vitally clawed away either side of substitute Cristian Montano's lofted effort that dropped just past the far post.

While Hibs' second-half performance looked like they were a man short, it became a reality when McGinn was shown a second yellow card for a tug on Montano.

And just four minutes later, Hibs captain Hanlon was also dismissed after another booking for hacking down Forrest.

But even with nine men, Ross' men somehow almost snatched a point when a miscued defensive header fell into the path of Nisbet, but the striker's poor finish was off target.

Man of the match - Stephane Omeonga

The ex-Hibs midfielder was a standout against his former club, snapping into challenges and driving his side on with an inspiring display

What did we learn?

Hibs' League Cup semi-final win over Rangers is papering over a lot of cracks at Easter Road. That in itself is a head-scratcher, given how well Ross' side played that day at Hampden in difficult circumstances.

They now have back-to-back games against St Mirren away and Dundee at home if his side are to regain any kind of form before next Sunday's final, where things could get ugly at this rate.

The Leith side's failings cannot take away from how impressive Livingston were. A defeat for Martindale's men would have left them just two points above bottom club County, who have two games in hand as it stands and are picking up form.

A positive result and performance was bordering on essential for the Livingston boss, and he got that in spades.

What's next?

Livingston face a trip to Dundee United (15:00 GMT) on Saturday as Hibs kick off at St Mirren on the same day at the same time.