Malky Mackay's Ross County dive downwards one place in the cinch Premiership table after Livingston strike through Joel Nouble and Nicky Devlin
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Livingston (2) 2
Ross County (0) 1
(Scorers: Livi - Nouble 37, Devlin 39; Ross Co - Murray 69)
Ross County slid back to second bottom spot in the Premiership, below relegation rivals Kilmarnock, after a costly late first half collapse at Livingston.
There was little in it throughout a scrappy 90 minutes, but the hosts broke a run of five games without a win after two moments of quality from Joel Nouble and Nicky Devlin.
Dundee United and Kilmarnock both lost leads at home to limit the damage, but County now sit only two points above the bottom of the table Tannadice side.
Simon Murray’s scrambled reply – which may be officially given as a Cristian Montana own goal – was initially chalked off before a VAR check.
It made for a tension-packed finish at the Tony Macaroni Arena, but the Highlanders would hit a yellow and black brick wall later in the second period despite going hell for leather in search of a leveller.
County had central defender Jack Baldwin beginning a three-match suspension, while Yan Dhanda was a surprise absentee, missing, presumed injured after his recent spell of fine form.
In their place, manager Malky Mackay brought in experienced club captain Keith Watson and gave ex-Southampton winger Josh Sims only the sixth league start of his 13-month County career.
The Staggies had good memories of their last visit to the Tony Macaroni Arena in October having edged it 1-0 that day.
Livingston, so impressive in the first half of the season, had also gone five games without a win in the league and cup coming into the tussle, with four defeats in that sequence.
There was a painful moment early on with Eamonn Brophy and Livingston’s Nicky Devlin accidentally clashing heads after the County striker tore onto a through ball.
It was tentative from both sides in the first 10 minutes, although Bruce Anderson tested Ross Laidlaw with a blast from the edge of the area, deflected into the County keeper’s arms.
The scrappy play continued, with County unable to get a grip on the ball and having to stand up to some sustained pressure from the hosts.
The first real threat from Mackay’s men came after 19 minutes.
Gwion Edwards, losing his marker to the right of the box, sent the ball across the penalty area. Sims had an attempt blocked, but as the ball spun to Brophy he miscued his strike completely.
Brophy fired wide again soon after, following a burst by Sims on the left, with the winger himself trying his luck but cutting the ball wide moments later.
County were beginning to muster more of a threat and Keith Watson raced in to ruffle the side-netting after a Jordan White flick-on to the back post from a George Harmon corner.
Out of nothing, though, came Livingston’s breakthrough.
There seemed to be little immediate threat as the ball was hooked long across the box from the right by James Penrice.
But Joel Nouble met it sweetly with his head, nodding it into the far right side of the netr with Laidlaw well-beaten.
Two minutes later, County were in serious trouble..
Devlin’s initial strike was parried by Laidlaw, but the ball spun back into his path just outside the penalty area and the full-back made no mistake the second time around.
The fierce strike flew past Laidlaw to his right and nestled in the net.
County made a double change after 57 minutes with January signing Simon Murray on for Edwards and Sims replaced by Ross Callachan.
That enabled a switch from a 4-4-2 formation to 4-3-3, given the Staggies’ great need of a reply.
Two more replacements followed for County with teenager Dylan Smith, on for Watson, sparing County with a tremendous sliding block on James Penrice.
David Cancola also replaced Liberia call-up Nohan Kenneh.
County were back in the game after 71 minutes and a lengthy VAR check.
The linesman raised his flag after Callachan’s through ball ended with Simon Murray finding the net off Cristian Montana.
The goal stood after checks, pumping the visitors with renewed belief in the West Lothian rain.
County went into the final 10 minutes with four strikers on the field after Alex Samuel replaced Victor Loturi.
That left them thin further back and Devlin raced clear onto a long through ball only for Laidlaw to race out and make a crucial block.
The away recovery effort continued and Brophy was unlucky after cutting inside only to be blocked at the last moment by an outstretched Livingston leg.
Five minutes were added and the Staggies threw everything forward, but in vain.
LIVINGSTON (4-2-3-1): George; Devlin, De Lucas, Boyes, Montano (Kelly 83); Holt (Omeonga 78), Shinnie; Penrice, Pittman (Guthrie 90), Nouble; Anderson (Bahamboula 78). Subs: Hamilton, Guthrie, Brandon, Stenhouse.
Booked: Holt 68, Bahamboula 89, George 90
ROSS COUNTY (4-4-2): Laidlaw; Randall, Watson (Smith 64), Iacovitti, Harmon; G. Edwards (Murray 57), Loturi (A. Samuel 80), Kenneh (Cancola 64), Sims (Callachan 57); White, Brophy. Subs: Munro, D. Samuel, Stones.
Booked: Iacovitti 80
Referee: Willie Collum
