Scottish Championship: Hibernian thrash Livingston 4-0 at Energy Assets Arena

Hibernian moved up to fourth place in the Scottish Championship with a comfortable 4-0 away victory at Livingston.

Dominique Malonga’s first-half strike, Danny Handling’s accurate second on 57 minutes, a Dylan McGeouch penalty and Paul Heffernan’s late strike secured the win for the visitors who could have run away with the game much earlier had it not been for some spirited defending from the hosts.

Malonga opened the scoring after half an hour, courtesy of an awful blunder by Livingston keeper Darren Jamieson.

Malonga pounced after Jamieson spilled a floated cross into the box directly into the path of the Congolese international who scooped the ball high into the middle of the goal.

Hibs’ second of the evening came seven minutes after the interval.

A neat interchange between Scott Allan and Jason Cummings presented Handling a golden opportunity just inside the Livingston area and the composed striker guided the ball into the far right-hand corner, leaving Jamieson helplessly exposed again in the Livingston goal.

Cummings spurned a glorious opportunity to extend his side’s lead 10 minutes later after he headed Malonga’s whipped delivery high over from close range, whilst under pressure from the scrambling home defence.

It was 3-0, however, just minutes later as referee Greg Aitken adjudged Craig Sives to have fouled Cummings as he stormed down the right channel into the box, although it appeared the striker had tripped himself up.

McGeouch clinically converted from the spot to all-but confirm all three points for the visitors, and it was 4-0 just as the game meandered towards the final few minutes.

Lewis Stevenson ran into space on the left and directed a ball into the box where Heffernan beat the onrushing Jamieson to the ball for a simple near-post finish.

The victory for Hibs is a perfect way to warm up for a home Edinburgh derby next weekend, with Hearts travelling to Easter Road on Sunday.

Meanwhile Livingston, who entertain high-flying Queen of the South, will look to improve on their dismal league form which has only returned two victories.