Match ends, Livingston 5, Heart of Midlothian 0.
Livingston scored five goals and Hearts' Arnaud Djoum was sent off in the space of 14 minutes as the hosts thumped Craig Levein's side at the Tony Macaroni Arena.
Hearts, who could have gone joint-top of the Scottish Premiership, were routed in West Lothian.
Craig Halkett scored a penalty before Hearts were reduced to 10 men when Djoum received a second yellow card.
Dolly Menga and Ryan Hardie, twice, scored before Shaun Byrne made it five.
Referee Nick Walsh had erroneously shown Hearts goalkeeper Zdenek Zlamal a second yellow card after giving away the initial penalty before correcting his mistake.
The result - Livingston's biggest ever win in the top flight - means they move into fifth in the Premiership, while Hearts remain fourth, missing the chance to go level with Celtic at the top.
- Embarrassed Craig Levein says 'we made them look like PSG'
- Livingston 'brilliant' and 'clinical', says Gary Holt
Livingston surge leaves Hearts red-faced
On paper this match-up never looked likely to be a goal-fest. Livingston's success has been built on a rock-solid defence rather than attacking flair, and Hearts have struggled for firepower ever since Steven Naismith's injury, scoring just four goals in the seven games since.
But after 70 predictably goalless minutes, the game was turned on its head.
It all started when Zlamal charged out to claim a cross, but got nowhere near the ball and cleaned out Halkett. The ever-impressive centre-half dusted himself down and calmly put his penalty straight down the middle.
Referee Walsh had shown Zlamal a yellow card, followed by a red, but realised the goalkeeper had not been booked. And then minutes later he showed Djoum a second yellow, though the Cameroon international looked to have got the ball.
If Hearts manager Craig Levein felt hard done by, along with the loss of centre-back Clevid Dikamona to injury in the first half, he could have no complaints about the way his side were torn apart thereafter.
Menga was the first to capitalise as he twisted and turned in the box unchallenged before slotting past Zlamal.
Then Hardie, still making his comeback from long-term injury, showed his lethal touch in front of goal, scoring with two similarly precise finishes from within the penalty area.
All of that happened in under 10 minutes, and Hearts would have been relieved to go more than five without conceding.
But sure enough Byrne would arrive in the box to punish them yet again after some brilliant work from Steven Lawless.
Livingston were playing their third game in six days but showed no sign of fatigue as they typically bustled around the pitch, never giving Hearts a second.
And they might have been clear even before the break, Zlamal denying both Halkett and Scott Pittman from close range, and Hardie hitting a post.
Hearts rarely threatened all evening. Demetri Mitchell curled a shot against the woodwork in the first half and Steven Maclean did the same late on, but in the end they were embarrassed.
It is back to the drawing board for Levein as his side search for their early-season form. But for Livingston and manager Gary Holt, this season just gets better and better.
'Livingston a team of lions'- Analysis
BBC Scotland's Brian McLauchlin at the Tony Macaroni Arena
The Livingston success story just keeps rumbling on, and this is turning out to be an incredible campaign following last season's unlikely promotion.
From front to back they have a real team of lions who battle for every ball from the first minute until the last.
Celtic, Rangers, Hibernian and now Hearts have all failed to win in West Lothian.
For Hearts, Levein will be very concerned about how they capitulated in the second half, in what was without doubt their poorest 45 minutes since he decided to move back into the manager's hot seat.
He will be desperate for a quick victory to keep them at the top end of the table, with some big games to come before the winter break.
But this was Livingston's night and they more than deserve any celebrations they have before their next match, away to Hibernian next week.
Line-ups
Livingston
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Kelly
- 31GallagherSubstituted forHamiltonat 86'minutes
- 26Halkett
- 4Lithgow
- 15Lawless
- 8Pittman
- 6Byrne
- 7Jacobs
- 11CaddenSubstituted forRobinsonat 68'minutes
- 45MengaBooked at 64minsSubstituted forSaundersat 82'minutes
- 9Hardie
Substitutes
- 2McMillan
- 5Saunders
- 10Sibbald
- 17Robinson
- 21Stewart
- 30Hamilton
- 33Lawson
Hearts
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 1ZlamalBooked at 72mins
- 2Smith
- 28DikamonaSubstituted forHughesat 25'minutes
- 6Berra
- 17GaruccioSubstituted forLeeat 77'minutes
- 38MorrisonSubstituted forClareat 45'minutes
- 5Haring
- 7Bozanic
- 11Mitchell
- 10Sutchuin-DjoumBooked at 74mins
- 18MacLean
Substitutes
- 8Lee
- 9Clare
- 13Doyle
- 15Wighton
- 16Hughes
- 23Mulraney
- 51Hickey
- Referee:
- Nick Walsh
- Attendance:
- 4,201
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home53%
- Away47%
- Shots
- Home13
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away0
- Corners
- Home4
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home15
- Away12
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Livingston 5, Heart of Midlothian 0.
Post update
Foul by Steven Lawless (Livingston).
Post update
Michael Smith (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Steven MacLean (Heart of Midlothian) hits the bar with a right footed shot from the centre of the box.
Post update
Oliver Bozanic (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Keaghan Jacobs (Livingston).
Substitution
Substitution, Livingston. Jack Hamilton replaces Declan Gallagher.
Goal!
Goal! Livingston 5, Heart of Midlothian 0. Shaun Byrne (Livingston) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner.
Post update
Foul by Declan Gallagher (Livingston).
Post update
Peter Haring (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Declan Gallagher (Livingston).
Post update
Sean Clare (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Delay in match Declan Gallagher (Livingston) because of an injury.
Substitution
Substitution, Livingston. Steven Saunders replaces Dolly Menga.
Post update
Alan Lithgow (Livingston) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Steven MacLean (Heart of Midlothian).
Goal!
Goal! Livingston 4, Heart of Midlothian 0. Ryan Hardie (Livingston) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Steven Lawless.
Goal!
Goal! Livingston 3, Heart of Midlothian 0. Ryan Hardie (Livingston) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Scott Pittman following a fast break.
Substitution
Substitution, Heart of Midlothian. Olly Lee replaces Ben Garuccio.
Comments
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Apparently there has been some accidents involving wheels that have came off the Jambos title ambitions 🤣
Great game tonight. Thought Livi played well against us at the start of the week but would never have anticipated tonight's result. After a fairly even first half they went up through the gears in the second. Well played, excellent result, fantastic entertainment for a festive free Friday.
Why does the BBC report the top league in England given its now a foreign soulless franchise charade dominated by foreign clubs playing in England???
Wonder where they got all those yellow seat outfits?
Whats is it your actually watching, Man City completely steam rolling every team in the league. I remember watching match of the day where the grounds were empty and the best player were Scots.
Don't for a second think it is England's money that has created the EPL as it is ALL FOREIGN MONEY.
Levein is lucky, as this hammering should have been far more severe and could have seen him sacked. Again.
Livi very impressive...
You mean you don't know who these players are. Actually, do you know anything about football?