David Martindale confident Livingston will turn a corner after another defeat

Posted Sunday, December 10, 2023 by PA

Livingston manager David Martindale still has belief his team can get out of trouble after Hibernian condemned them to a seventh consecutive defeat.

Martin Boyle’s low shot gave Hibs a 1-0 win in a tight contest played in challenging conditions, with swirling wind and driving rain.

Livingston were disappointing in the first half but, despite improving after the break, they could not find a leveller and now sit five points behind 11th-placed St Johnstone at the foot of the cinch Premiership.

Martindale said: “I’m not wanting to sit here and try to make excuses. I’ll take full responsibility. I coach the players, I pick the team and I recruit the players. I’m big enough to understand that this all falls on me.

“I thought the players were very good today. I thought their application and their game management and their intensity was good.

“I couldn’t care too much about David Martindale to be honest. I’m gutted for the players after the game today because I know how much it is hurting them. We’re going through a period of deep adversity and fortunately, I’ve got thick skin and I’m resilient and I’ll get us through this.

“I know we’ll get through this. We’re sitting five points behind but you’re one win away from changing it. I did my first press conference this season and I said it’s going to be a tough season.

“This is the first time Livingston have been in the league for six years – there’s a reason why. It’s probably the first time we’ve been in the league with a lot less money than previous years. But do I believe there’s enough in the changing room between the staff and the players? I do.”

Hibernian boss Nick Montgomery, meanwhile, was delighted with the character shown by his side as they overcame the challenging weather to secure the win that moved them up to fourth in the table.

He said: “I’m really happy to get the points. It’s a really hard place to come. We knew before the game it was going to be a fight. We had to match them and I thought we did that.

“The conditions were tough with the wind swirling and the pitch is really quick. We knew that we would have to bunker in at times and deal with those long throws in the box and the balls into the box.

“They’re a big team and I have to make a special mention for Paul (Hanlon), Will (Fish) and David (Marshall).”

Montgomery also hailed his side’s response from a damaging 4-1 defeat to Celtic on Wednesday as they made it four wins out of five.

He added: “We talk about momentum all the time and it’s important we showed character today. Coming off the Celtic result where I was really disappointed with the manner of goals we gave away.

“We gave ourselves a massive uphill task and that was disappointing but that’s done now and we needed to come here and show character and get back to winning ways and that’s what the boys did.

“If you go back four or five weeks, we conceded a lot of goals from winning positions and it’s something that we’ve worked hard at.

“We get through the game today, get a clean sheet and three points at a really difficult place to come.”