Alan Forrest the matchwinner as Livingston come from behind to beat Hibernian

Posted Sunday, January 30, 2022 by PA

Alan Forrest struck the winner as Livingston twice came from behind to pull off an impressive 3-2 victory away to Hibernian.

Recent signing Demetri Mitchell and Chris Cadden scored for the hosts but those goals were cancelled out by visiting centre-backs Ayo Obileye and Jack Fitzwater respectively.

The three points took the Lions above St Mirren into eighth in the cinch Premiership, while Shaun Maloney’s side missed out on the chance to climb to fourth.

Hibs made four changes to the side that started the goalless draw at Motherwell in midweek as Ryan Porteous, Mitchell, Ewan Henderson and Christian Doidge replaced Joe Newell, Rocky Bushiri, Chris Mueller and Josh Doig.

There were two alterations to the Livingston side that lost 1-0 at Rangers on Wednesday as Joel Nouble and Forrest replaced Andrew Shinnie and Bruce Anderson in attack.

Hibs had the first chance after five minutes when Doidge headed against the post from a Henderson cross.

The hosts went ahead a minute later when Cadden’s cross from the right found its way to the back post and Mitchell prodded it in from close range.

It looked like Livingston were going to have a swift opportunity to equalise when Odin Bailey went down in the box as he tried to go around goalkeeper Matt Macey in the eighth minute. Referee Grant Irvine awarded a spot-kick but then changed his mind after speaking with his linesman.

Obileye, who had been ready to take the penalty, got his chance to get on the score sheet in the 19th minute when he beat Macey to a free-kick delivery from Bailey and sent a high looping header into the net.

Hibs were forced into a change in the 22nd minute when defender Paul McGinn went off injured and was replaced by Bushiri.

Livingston had a decent opportunity in the 29th minute when Joel Nouble ran on to a diagonal pass wide on the left and stepped inside Porteous before firing wide of the far post.

The hosts restored their advantage in the 32nd minute when a Cadden cross from the right caught out Lions goalkeeper Max Stryjek and dropped in at the back post.

Livingston equalised again in the 53rd minute when Fitzwater bundled the ball in from close range after Macey could only parry a Forrest effort following a long throw-in from Nicky Devlin.

The Lions got what proved to be the game’s decisive goal in the 59th minute when Forrest bent an angled shot past Macey from 10 yards out after some slack play from Josh Campbell.