If Kilmarnock can take anything away from their trip to West Lothian, it’s the fact their home record isn’t down to playing on an artificial surface.

The visitors came into ‘El Plastico’ with a record of just two points from 12 away games, with four goals scored and 24 conceded, and were taken apart by a markedly superior Livingston side who could and should have scored more.

First half headers from Joel Nouble and Bruce Anderson put David Martindale’s side on the front foot before Stephen Kelly added insult to injury.

Christian Doidge bundled home early in the second half to give Derek McInnes' side hope but no fightback materialised.

They could have fallen behind after just five minutes when Cristian Montano, one of five changes for the visitors, found space at the back post but his header was tipped onto the bar by Sam Walker.

The Kilmarnock goalkeeper was called into action again moments later as he plunged to his right to beat away a drive from Nouble, a familiar tormentor from the Ayrshire side’s season in the Championship.

It didn’t take long for the big striker to stick the knife in again. Nicky Devlin broke down the right and when his low cross was deflected up into the air Nouble had the simplest of tasks to head into the net.

The Livi number 2 was the supplier again as Bruce Anderson doubled the advantage with a beautiful finish, meeting the cross on the run and flicking it across Walker into the far corner.

Nouble summed up everything that was good about his side, working back in defence when needed, and it was his industry that brought the third.

The 27-year-old won the ball on the touchline, surged into the box and showed good feet to evade the tackle of Joe Wright before standing up a cross that Stephen Kelly fired home via a combination of crossbar and post.

It was almost half-time before Killie fashioned anything on nodding terms with a chance, Kyle Vassell firing into the side-netting after a sharp turn in the box, then Livingston were straight up the other end as Anderson saw his effort deflected behind for a corner.

Perhaps surprisingly McInnes opted not to make any changes at half-time, and the restart saw them get one back in short order. Vassell’s shot was saved by Shamal George, but after some pinball in the box and numerous failed clearances it found its way back to him. The striker could only head across goal but Doidge was on hand to bundle it in from close range.

Whether in mournful response or out of boredom a Livingston fan began honking on a harmonica shortly thereafter, which was about as engaging as things got from then on.

Kilmarnock continued to huff and puff but struggled to test George, Vassell's low cross receiving no takers. Such toothlessness in attack is perhaps not surprising for a side which sold last season's top scorer, Oli Shaw, in January and released the previous season's on deadline day for disciplinary reasons.

Former Livi man Scott Robinson entered the fray late on to try and shake things up but by then a slow trickle of of visiting fans were already headed for the exit - the Livingston goalkeeper could well have joined them.