Livingston boss insists side 'got what they deserved' in Hamilton defeat

Poor marking from set plays cost the Lions as they fell at home to Accies.

Livingston boss Gary Holt said his side ‘got what they deserved’ as poor defending from set plays saw them slump to a 2-1 home loss to Hamilton on Saturday.

Things couldn’t have got off to a better start as Scott Pittman’s deflected effort on 29 seconds put them in front.

However, the home side’s inability to defend set-pieces cost them dearly as David Templeton fired home on 57 minutes after former Lion Hakeem Odoffin’s header from a free-kick bounced off the bar.

Kyle Munro then placed a free header from a corner beyond Robby McCrorie for a late winner.

It’s a worrying trend for the Lions, who for so long have been built on dominating set plays in both boxes but have failed to shine so far this term.

The dejected boss commented: “It’s naivety to think that someone will clear a free-kick when it comes into your box. You go and get hurt, you go and do your job.

“You look at the goals we’ve conceded in the seven games, nobody has cut us open. It’s a set play or it’s a second phase from a set play so I’ll take it on the chin.

“I pick the side but at the end of the day you’ve got to have a desire to get hurt and put your head in where it hurts. It’s two soft goals.”

He added: “I didn’t see us getting too many free headers and we didn’t win enough at either end. We got what we deserved.”

There was still no place in the matchday squad for Anthony Stokes with Lars Lokotsch given the task of leading the line.

The big German had an immediate impact when his cross in the first minute was turned home by Pittman, with the aid of a touch from Accies’ Shaun Want.

A frantic start almost saw the visitors equalise in bizarre fashion as Efe Ambrose nearly lobbed his own keeper from 35 yards. McCrorie raced back and was able to chest the ball down before diving at the feet of the onrushing David Moyo to prevent a calamitous leveller.

Moments later Alan Forrest looked to have doubled Livi’s lead with a curling effort but Ryan Fulton parried wide.

Livi would play some neat football without being able to add to their lead.

Marvin Bartley will feel he should have done better from a header midway through the half as Hamilton failed to deal with a corner while Lokotsch did well to tee up Forrest only for the winger to fluff his lines and fire harmlessly over the bar.

The Lions were made to rue their inability to find a second as Hamilton levelled things up just before the hour mark.

Odoffin lost his marker and clattered a header off the bar with the rebound falling into the path of Templeton, who duly thundered the ball home.

That sparked a change in momentum.

Templeton went close to netting a stunning second but looked on as his strike from 20 yards went narrowly wide McCrorie’s right-hand post.

Having weathered the storm, Livi went searching for a winner. A series of corners came to nothing before they spurned their big chance.

Scott Robinson’s header found Pittman but the midfielder’s shot bounced off the underside of the bar before being hooked clear.

The winner arrived with five minutes to go following a contentious awarding of a free-kick. Jon Guthrie was adjudged to have fouled Odoffin with the resulting set-piece headed home by Munro, who had ghosted past Robinson.

The youngster calmly steered the ball into the far corner as Hamilton took the points.