Livingston 0-0 Aberdeen: Hosts increase slim survival hopes in drab goalless draw

Livingston marginally increased their slim hopes of Scottish Premiership survival by grinding out a drab goalless draw with managerless Aberdeen.

But the VAR ruled out the Aberdeen striker’s effort for an offside call on Angus MacDonald, meaning Livingston move a point closer to 11th-placed Ross County.

However, David Martindale’s bottom side still face the monumental task of making up a nine-point deficit in their final six games.

The draw ends Aberdeen’s faint hopes of a top-six finish but moves them seven points clear of the relegation play-off place.

Several stoppages played a part in a dull encounter, where both sides managed just four shots on target between them.

Livingston’s Steven Bradley ought to have done better with an early header before Miovski was denied by George when clean through.

The home goalkeeper was forced into action again after the break when Jamie McGrath saw his free-kick pushed round the post, with MacDonald’s header cleared off the line from the resulting corner.

McGrath clipped the Livingston woodwork with a hopeful cross minutes later, but that is as it got for either side until the late drama in an encounter seriously lacking in attacking quality.

Player of the match – Shamal George (Livingston)

Lifeline for Livi as Leven keeps Dons ship steady – analysis

It felt like the story of Livingston’s season when a dejected Martindale watched Miovski smash in what he thought was a gut-wrenching losing goal, but he will now feel like luck is finally on his side.

The issue is that luck has almost certainly come too late, but this hard-fought point is a lifeline for Martindale and his players, who will continue to fight in their final six games.

Confirmation of a bottom-six finish compounds a miserable season for Aberdeen, a campaign so grim that moving seven points clear of 11th spot feels like the biggest positive of their day.

Given how poor their season has been, the Aberdeen board could do worse than allowing the season to play out with Peter Leven at the helm.

The caretaker manager has steadied the ship by taking seven points from his last three games and has crucially bought the Pittodrie hierarchy time in their new manager search.

What they said

Livingston manager David Martindale: “First half was frustrating for both teams with the amount of stoppages. It was really difficult for anyone to get any control of the game.

“Second half, I felt we were the better team. We were a wee bit unlucky, but saying that we get lucky with the offside call [for Aberdeen’s disallowed goal].”

Aberdeen caretaker manager Peter Leven: “It’s a tough one at the end, I thought we deserved the three points. At times we never hit the target as much as we wanted.

“We could’ve been better around the edge of the box. Conditions weren’t great but we could’ve created more.”

What’s next?

Livingston’s pre-split schedule ends with a trip to Hearts next Saturday (15:00 BST) as Aberdeen host Dundee.