It was an afternoon that began bathed in crisp winter sunshine.

The temperature had plummeted and darkness had fallen by the time Livingston had taken three points from their encounter with Hamilton Academical, but after such a significant result, Gary Bollan’s side will feel that they are edging towards the light.

Whether or not anyone is capable of catching leaders Ross County is another matter, but Saturday’s result leaves Livingston in third spot and within a point of second-placed Falkirk. Marc McNulty scored the only goal of the game shortly after the restart when he headed home from inside the area.

It is five years since the West Lothian side were last in the top flight and although on this evidence they are still a little short of being regarded as genuine contenders to go up, they have an energy and zip about them that bodes well for forthcoming seasons.

Mark Fotheringham has impressed during his stint at the club, although whether or not he will be there after January remains to be seen. He controlled the middle of the park and Bobby Barr got plenty of chances to run at Hamilton in the wide areas. “Ross County have won seven on the bounce and have pulled away so I don’t see why we can’t do that,” said Barr. “But if we stay up this season, then that’s the aim. If we can go on a wee run why can’t we stay up at the top of the league.”

Hamilton have suffered injuries to players who have been pivotal to them in recent seasons, such as captain Alex Neil and goalkeeper Tomas Cerny, but there was an alarming lack of urgency and spirit about the visitors until the game was already running away from them.

The lack of appetite for the game was not lost on a seething Billy Reid. “Mark McLaughlin, Jim McAlister and Dougie Imrie fought their corner but other than that there were just not enough winners for us,” the Hamilton manager said. “We pinned them back a bit and for a wee spell it looked as though we were going to level it but over the 90 minutes Livingston were by far the hungrier.”

Goalkeeper David Hutton made a string of fine saves to keep Livingston at bay but it is doubtful whether he will keep his place when Cerny returns from full fitness. If Hamilton are to find a way back into the Clydesdale Bank Premier League, a vast improvement will be required.

“It was a good game but we didn’t start it right and were second best,” said Hutton. “We just need to get on with it in the next game. In two weeks we’ve got Raith Rovers and we’ll just go into that trying to get the win again.

“With Tomas coming back I just need to keep doing well and in football you never know what will happen.”