Livingston pay the penalty in Paisley horror show as they fall out of top six

Livingston's top six hopes took a severe dent thanks to a woeful first-half display in Paisley as they fell to a 3-0 loss.

The Lions conceded a penalty barely 20 seconds into the clash with Mark O'Hara slotting home following a ridiculously long VAR check. The visitors never recovered as they found themselves three down at the break.

Luiyi de Lucas - at fault for the first goal - lost his marker to allow Tony Watt to tap home the Buddies' second on 18 minutes before O'Hara casually rolled his second spot-kick into the net just before the break to give Stephen Robinson's men a deserved healthy advantage.

Livi did at least offer something resembling a fightback after the interval with a number of chances squandered but the damage was well and truly done by that point and they were unable to reduce the deficit.

Livingston boss David Martindale named two changes to the side that defeated Ross County last time out with Kurtis Guthrie handed his first league start since October. Jack Fitzwater returned from suspension to slot into a back three as the Lions changed formation to a 3-5-2. It's fair to say it didn't work.

The Lions got off to the worst possible start when de Lucas appeared to handle inside the box in the opening seconds. A lengthy VAR check finally awarded the Buddies the spot-kick with O'Hara dispatching the ball beyond Shamal George.

That rattled the visitors who struggled to get a foothold in the early proceedings with the Buddies enjoying plenty of possession and peppering the Livi box with deliveries. It paid dividends just before the 20 minute mark as the hosts doubled their lead.

De Lucas's poor start continued as Watt escaped his man inside the box to get on the end of Curtis Main's pass before calmly