Livingston 2 Dundee United 1

Dundee United suffered a late blow as promotion rivals Livingston grabbed an injury-time winner at the Tony Macaroni Arena.

The Tangerines had earlier reached the interval trailing to Scott Robinson’s goal midway through the opening half.

But substitute Matt Smith equalised for them with sixteen minutes remaining, only for striker Ryan Hardie to decisively snatch a winner in the first of two added minutes.

The defeat leaves United six points behind their latest opponents, although with a couple of games in hand.

Hardie immediately tested on loan goalkeeper Harry Lewis as his colleagues were looking to build upon their weekend 4-1 triumph over clear leaders St Mirren.

Lewis soon denied the forward again before opposite number Neil Alexander was required to block from Emil Lang.

However, the hosts moved in front when Robinson expertly despatched into the bottom corner with the mid-point of the half reached.

Hardie again had the ball in the net when on the end of a Nicky Cadden delivery – but was ruled offside.

With Thomas Mikkelsen already having replaced the injured Lyng, the visitors completed a second change at the interval as Smith
succeeded Grant Gillespie.

And following Livi seeing another effort disallowed for offside, Smith was to take advantage of Sam Stanton’s 74th minute lay-off when driving inside the near post.

Stewart Murdoch then had a late opportunity deflected behind by keeper Alexander, while Mikkelsen’s claims for a penalty were ignored when falling inside the area.

But the United defence next inexplicably allowed the unchallenged Hardie to turn on the edge of the box and thump low inside Lewis’ right-hand post for a dramatic late winner.

Livingston: Alexander, Gallagher, Halkett, Lithgow, De Vita (Mullin 80), Pittman, Byrne, Robinson, Cadden (Longridge 80), Miller, Hardie

subs (unused): McMillan, Buchanan, Boyd, Jacobs, Maley

Goals: Robinson (22), Hardie (90)

Dundee United: Lewis, Murdoch, Durnan, Scobbie, Robson, Gillespie (Smith 46), Flood, Stanton, Lyng (Mikkelsen 38), King, McDonald (McMullan 81)

subs (unused): Mehmet, Slater, Quinn, Mason

Goals: Smith (74)

Ref: C. Thomson

Att: 1,604