Match ends, Livingston 1, Hibernian 3.
LivingstonLivingston1HibernianHibernian3
Hibernian moved to within a point of second-top Rangers in the Scottish Championship with victory over bottom side Livingston.
Scott Robertson guided in an early opener and, although Myles Hippolyte levelled with a fine volley, Jason Cummings restored the lead.
Livi were reduced to 10 men when Darren Cole received a second yellow card.
Dylan McGeouch then had a controversial penalty saved before Dominique Malonga tucked in the visitors' third.
Alan Stubbs' men are now seven points clear of Queen of the South with two games to play, meaning the Easter Road side will finish no lower than third in the division.
They host second-bottom Alloa Athletic on Saturday, while Rangers welcome Falkirk to Ibrox.
The teams finishing third and fourth will meet over two legs to decide who meets the division's runners-up in the play-off semi-final double-header.
The winner will then meet the team finishing second-bottom in the Premiership, again over two legs, with a place in the top flight the prize.
Hibs, having lost their Scottish Cup semi-final against Falkirk on Saturday, appeared determined not to let their Hampden disappointment derail their league ambitions and quickly moved ahead.
McGeouch slipped a pass through for Robertson on the run and the midfielder carried the ball beyond Darren Jamieson.
Mark Burchill's men responded when Brad Donaldson's long ball went over the head of Jordon Forster and Hippolyte finished emphatically.
However, parity did not last long as Cummings found space in the box and forced the ball home at the second attempt after having an initial effort blocked.
It got worse for the hosts when Cole saw red following his second yellow card and the Livi players were further aggrieved in the second half when referee Andrew Dallas awarded a spot-kick.
Kyle Jacobs appeared to win the ball when he tackled McGeouch, who stepped up to take the penalty only to be foiled by Jamieson.
However, a third Hibs goal did arrive when Malonga latched on to Fraser Fyvie's long ball, dribbled his way towards the six-yard box then finished at the goalkeeper's right-hand post.
The result leaves Livingston, who could have drawn level with Alloa had they won, four points from safety with two games remaining.
Line-ups
Livingston
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Jamieson
- 23DonaldsonBooked at 40minsSubstituted forSekajjaat 83'minutes
- 14Gallagher
- 4ColeBooked at 45mins
- 5Fordyce
- 6Jacobs
- 8O'Brien
- 25PittmanBooked at 89mins
- 11HippolyteSubstituted forGlenat 83'minutes
- 18WhiteSubstituted forBouldingat 65'minutes
- 20Mullen
Substitutes
- 9Boulding
- 12Walker
- 16Beaumont
- 17McKenna
- 19Glen
- 22Sekajja
- 33Currie
Hibernian
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Oxley
- 6Forster
- 4HanlonBooked at 31mins
- 5Fontaine
- 17Boyle
- 23McGeouch
- 8Robertson
- 22FyvieSubstituted forCraigat 84'minutes
- 16Stevenson
- 9El AlaguiSubstituted forMalongaat 66'minutes
- 35CummingsSubstituted forDja Djedjeat 76'minutes
Substitutes
- 10Craig
- 11Stanton
- 19Handling
- 24Malonga
- 29Dja Djedje
- 30Cerny
- 32Dunsmore
- Referee:
- Andrew Dallas
- Attendance:
- 2,301
Match Stats
Home TeamLivingstonAway TeamHibernian
- Possession
- Home37%
- Away63%
- Shots
- Home4
- Away12
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away8
- Corners
- Home2
- Away7
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away4
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Livingston 1, Hibernian 3.
Booking
Scott Pittman (Livingston) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Corner, Livingston. Conceded by Lewis Stevenson.
Post update
Attempt missed. Rory Boulding (Livingston) right footed shot from the right side of the box is too high.
Substitution
Substitution, Hibernian. Liam Craig replaces Fraser Fyvie.
Substitution
Substitution, Livingston. Gary Glen replaces Myles Hippolyte.
Substitution
Substitution, Livingston. Ibra Sekajja replaces Brad Donaldson.
Goal!
Goal! Livingston 1, Hibernian 3. Dominique Malonga (Hibernian) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Fraser Fyvie.
Post update
Foul by Paul Hanlon (Hibernian).
Post update
Daniel Mullen (Livingston) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Attempt saved. Martin Boyle (Hibernian) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the bottom right corner.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Liam Fontaine (Hibernian) header from the right side of the six yard box is blocked.
Post update
Corner, Hibernian. Conceded by Myles Hippolyte.
Post update
Corner, Hibernian. Conceded by Kyle Jacobs.
Substitution
Substitution, Hibernian. Franck Dja Djedje replaces Jason Cummings.
Post update
Attempt missed. Paul Hanlon (Hibernian) left footed shot from outside the box is too high following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Hibernian. Conceded by Callum Fordyce.
Substitution
Substitution, Hibernian. Dominique Malonga replaces Farid El Alagui.
Substitution
Substitution, Livingston. Rory Boulding replaces Jordan White.
