Livingston came from two goals behind Dundee to rescue a point as both sides played out a 2-2 epic at The Home of the Set Fare Arena.
There was a lot riding on the line for both sides, with only four points separating the division’s bottom two, although Dundee have since moved up the table with Kilmarnock not in action until tomorrow.
A classic game of two halves, Dundee looked set to win their first game on the road since the final day of the last season as they went up the tunnel at half-time two up thanks to goals from Yan Dhanda and Cameron Congreve.
But David Martindale’s side looked reborn in the second period, with goals coming from Jeremy Bokila and Tete Yengi to give the hosts a deserved point as they were the team on the ascendancy for the entire second half.
Pressure grows on Steven Pressley in the Dundee dugout, with the away section letting their grievances be heard with expletives this match report cannot repeat.
Dundee got the first of their goals thirteen minutes in. Ethan Hamilton tested Jerome Prior with a pile-driver from distance, and the Frenchman’s save only went as far as Yan Dhanda, who made no mistake tapping the ball home for an away lead.
And just five minutes later, the advantage doubled. Tony Yogane looped a ball in from the left wing, and the Dee’s star man Cameron Congreve executed a deft finish to send the travelling support into raptures.
Not to be down and out, Livingston tried clawing their way back into the game, with Scott Pittman having the Lions’ best opportunity of making the game a contest once more. He found a half yard of space after some superb combination play from the home side, but Jon McCracken was equal to the effort.
Just moments before referee Dan McFarlane’s half-time whistle, Dundee came close to making it three. Dhanda tried his upmost to turn provider, but his whipped set-piece glanced off of Billy Koumetio’s head and flew wide of the post.
In the opening ten minutes of second period, McCracken in the Dundee net was on a one-man-mission to maintain his clean sheet. The former Scotland call-up was forced into two saves from Livi’s Lewis Smith and Cristian Montano in the same minute, with the latter effort potentially being a cross that was caught in the West Lothian wind.
The hosts would get themselves back into the game with just over 25 minutes left to play. Colombian utility man Montano broke the Dundee defensive line with a wonderful ball through to Jeremy Bokila, who showed great composure to find the top left corner as his side’s persistence finally paid off.
Stevie May stung the palms of McCracken with his attempt for the equaliser. His shot carried a lot of venom from the edge of the area, and the veteran had a low rocket deflect wide just one minute later with the game entering its final fifteen minutes.
With 84 minutes on the clock, Australian Tete Yengi got Livingston’s inevitable equaliser having barely been on the pitch for a minute. A ball floated in from left and Yengi’s header sneaked through the legs of McCracken who will not want to see that one back.
Livingston were reduced to ten in the final minute of added time, with captain Ryan McGowan adjudged to have denied an obvious goal scoring opportunity.
Four points separate Dundee and Livingston, as it did before the game as well. Dundee move up to tenth with a game played more than Kilmarnock in eleventh. Livingston remain winless since the second game of the season, but will be delighted to get back into the game from two behind this afternoon.
Livi make the trip to Paisley next weekend to face St. Mirren who have a cup final to deal with tomorrow. As for Dundee, it is another trip Southward to face Motherwell at Fir Park.
LIVINGSTON: Prior 5, Montano 7, Wilson 6, McGowan 5, Finlayson 5, Susoho 4 (May 63’ 4), Tait 7, Smith 6, Pittman 6 (Yengi 83’ 4), Brenet 3 (McLennan 46’ 3), Bokila 7 (Muirhead 87’ 1)
DUNDEE: McCracken 6, Wright 6, Koumetio 7, Graham 5, Astley 1 (Samuels 28’ 4), Yogane 7 (Acquah 89’ 1), Hamilton 6, Dhanda 6 (Jones 76’ 1), Digby 5, Congreve 6 (Ingram 76’ 1), Murray 5 (Hay 63’ 2)
