Livingston 2 - 1 Hibs: Manager shows up but his team take too long to do same

The Edinburgh outfit slipped to a first pre-season defeat after a resurgent second-half display failed to overturn a limp showing in the opening period. On a difficult evening along the M8 for the SPL team, a confident Livingston performance added to the sense of uneasiness that refuses to leave Easter Road.

For the second time in four days, all eyes for the healthy away support were again on the Hibs dug-out. Would he be there or wouldn't he?

Given chairman Rod Petrie's robust morning early statement, warning Nottingham Forest over their public pursuit of Calderwood, it was perhaps no surprise to see the former Scotland defender patrolling the visiting technical area.

Both Forest manager McClaren and Birmingham boss Chris Hughton are keen to recruit the 46-year-old as their assistant, but Petrie was bullish in his desire to keep him.

"Hibernian wants Colin Calderwood as its manager. Hibernian has Colin Calderwood as its manager," read the statement, in a long-overdue bid to quell the intense speculation.

Yet following a lacklustre first-half performance, Hibs fans last night may have wished otherwise.

Livingston boss Gary Bollan, linked to the Hibs post, certainly boosted his apparent claims.

Hibs had looked comfortable to triumph 3-0 at Berwick on Saturday, but it quickly became clear they faced a much tougher assignment against the newly-promoted First Division side.

Livi, fresh from a 1-1 draw with Dunfermline, made the breakthrough before a significant number of the travelling support had even taken their seats.

Keaghan Jacobs' cross from the right allowed Kenny Deuchar to climb above David Stephens and power home an eight-yard header. Only 50 seconds were on the clock.

The strike immediately gave the tenacious home charges a footing and they began to overpower Hibs in midfield, denying the Edinburgh men a chance to find any kind of rhythm.

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Livi's trialist right-back soon nodded a header wide and their top scorer last term, Iain Russell, also drilled just wide.

Sandwiched in between these chances was almost a comical own goal from the uneasy-looking Stephens. A kick out from keeper Tony Bullock saw Stephens miscue a headed pass-back to Mark Brown, the ball looping over the custodian and fortunately bouncing up and over the bar. However, a second goal was only delayed until the 28th minute.Russell was offered acres of space 22 yards from goal and composed himself to curl home expertly into the right-hand corner. From a neat Akpo Sodje pass, Ivan Sproule could have reduced arrears only for Bullock to block with his right leg. Calderwood, so alarmed at proceedings that Michael Hart and Martin Scott were replaced before half-time, was spared further woe when Jacobs blazed over with the goal gaping.

Hibs at least returned for the second half with renewed conviction and Garry O'Connor should have scored after a dreadful mistake from Paul Watson. Bullock again pulled off a smart save. The Scotland striker had better luck soon on 53 minutes, connecting with Danny Galbraith's cross from the left to head in off the far post to pull one back - his second goal in two pre-season games. Hibs had finally shaken off their lethargy, with Galbraith and subs Calum Booth and David Crawford all going close.

David Wotherspoon then came off the bench to rattle the right-hand post with a fierce drive, but the leveller simply failed to arrive.

Livingston 2

Deuchar (1), Russell (26)

Hibernian 1

O'Connor (53)

Livingston: Bullock; Trialist (MacDonald 58), Barr, Watson, Talbot; Ke Jacobs (Cummings 75), Fox (Ky Jacobs 46), Sinclair (Gray 80), Barr (Scougall 31); Deuchar (McNulty 63), Russell (Trialist 46). Subs not used: Jamieson, Turner, Trialist.

Hibernian: Brown, Hart (Taggart 35), Stephens (Palsson 46), Hanlon, Smith (Booth 46); Sproule (Wotherspoon 64), Murray (Stevenson 46), Scott (Thornhill 38), Galbraith (Horner 70); Sodje, O'Connor (Crawford 64). Sub not used: Antell

Attendance:

2,213