Hope fading for Gough's side

For all the continuing spectre of imminent managerial upheaval at Tannadice, this result even earned Livingston the distinction of handing the visitors their first away league win of the season, leaving the home side's plight clearly outweighing that of the visitors.

In the painstaking wait to formally exit administration, it was hardly the kind of result to encourage Pearse Flynn to hang around too long.

In fact, it was so bad that afterwards a downbeat Richard Gough had few answers as to whether his team had enough quality to survive in the top flight, and whether he should already start planning for life in the first division next season.

"Looking at the last four or five weeks, you would say 'no we don't have enough quality', " a dismayed Gough said, "but it is up to me to try to change that or even start talking about building a platform for next season."

Ian McCall had also come into the game - part one of a duo of relegation derbies ahead of next week's Tannadice meeting with Inverness - with plenty on his mind.

Apart from everything else, suspensions to Paul Ritchie and Barry Robson, as well as injuries to David McCracken and Derek McInnes, had forced him to dig deep into his bag of contingencies.

What he came up with was a first start in 13 games, or since the 23rd of November, for Billy Dodds - with the veteran striker also reclaiming the captain's armband. It had the desired affect. Dodds set up the opening goal for Stevie Crawford, could have capped his performance with a late header, and generally showed the combination of poise and commitment to the cause which led Gough to reflect that he wished he had been lining up in the gold and black of Livingston. "It is a mark of respect because he is hugely respected at this club, " was McCall's take. "He did so well that he has given me a massive problem for next week."

If anybody had required reminding about the high stakes involved, a couple of early bookings set the tone.

First Colin McMenamin clattered into United keeper Tony Bullock, before Grant Brebner -patrolling the left-side of a narrow three-man midfield - extracted his own form of revenge with a wild lunge on Scotland squad member David McNamee. The next mark in the referee's book, however, was to register a goalscorer.

On what was a blustery day, a long kick-out suddenly located some space for Dodds, and his clipped pass presented Stevie Crawford with anopportunity at an angle on the left. Crawford obliged with a neat finish across Roddy McKenzie for his third goal in five games, as he continued to drag his new side away from the relegation morass.

Richard Gough had resisted the temptation to include any of his Hungarians from the start, although Mark Wilson, on loan from Middlesbrough, was accommodated in central midfield. Not that it did the home side much good. The player, who once commanded a pounds-1.5m fee from Manchester United but has gone missing somewhat after a joint transfer to the Riverside with Jonathan Greening in 2001, only lasted until half time until he was ignominiously withdrawn after an anonymous display.

By that time, United had another goal in the bag in any case. The game's other Mark Wilson swung over a corner from the right, to where Archibald won the first header topropel the ball back across goal. Grady may have been playing on the right of midfield for the visitors recently but he still had enough striking instincts to lash in a left foot volley from 10 yards. Remarkably it was also the former Partick Thistle striker's first goal for five months, and he hoped yesterday's could be a decisive result. "It is only five points and we are not going to get carried away but I would rather be five points up than five points behind."

Eric Deloumeaux had speared a shot narrowly past the post before half time but that didn't stop Gough trying to put some spirit into his lifeless midfield at the interval, introducing Stephen Adam and Attila Kriston.

But the game could have been even further out of their reach within four minutes of the restart. Grant Brebner, back to form and back in the side, worked a one-two with Jim McIntyre and curled in a shot which struck the underside of the bar.

From then, a few chances materialised sporadically at either end, a lob from Livingston sub James McPake which landed on the roof of the net at one end, and a save from McKenzie to defy Dodds' late header at the other. It was a small mercy at the end of another grim day in the short history of Livingston FC.

FAST FOOTBALL

Fair result? Yes.Not alot of chances were created in either half, but United had the clearer of them, and took them greedily.

Entertainment value? The conditions must take some of the blame, a gusting wind which blew through all four seasons in the space of 90 minutes.As a result, the game turned in to neither a battle nor much of a footballing spectacle.

Talking point: The futures of both the teams and their respective managers.

Livingston's defeat left them five points adrift at the bottom of the SPL table.Nowonder Richard Gough was pessimistic about their chances of survival afterwards.

Man of the match: Alan Archibald.

Honourable mentions for Billy Dodds and James Grady but Archibald moved to centre-back from his left-back beat to keep Livingston at bay with ease.

Richard Gough: "Iactually thought we started well in the first 15minutes.Iam the manager and I take full responsibility for team selection, but if you can't win simple headers then you will always lose goals."

Ian McCall: "It was an important game for both clubs because it takes us five points clear and brings us in with quite a few other clubs.If Grant Brebner's terrific bit of skill had gone in it would have been a bit more comfortable for us."

Livingston

McKenzie McNamee Rubio Strong Bahoken Brittain Wilson Deloumeaux O'Brien McMenamin Lilley

Subs: Adam for Wilson 45, Kriston for Britton 45, McPake for Lilley 71.

Not used: Meldrum, Dorado, Dair, Vincze.

Booked: McMenamin 10.

Dundee United

Crawford 14, Grady 41 Bullock Wilson Mair Archibald Duff Grady Kerr Brebner Dodds Crawford McIntyre

Subs: McLaren for Kerr 70.

Not used: Colgan, Samuel, Scotland, Kenneth, Cameron, Holmes.

Booked: Brebner 11.

Referee: C Richmond.

Attendance: 5,158.