ST Mirren defender Gary MacKenzie lamented the cheapness with which the Paisely side gifted their goals in their defeat to Livingston, writes Alison McConnell. 

But the 33-year-old also lamented what was an erratic performance from referee Colin Steven and his assistants.

Jim Goodwin’s side threatened to claw back a point with a second-half resurgence after Alan Lithgow and Lyndon Dykes had given the hosts a two-goal cushion; Kyle Magennis started the comeback but Livingston held on to take the spoils.

MacKenzie was irked that there were a number of offences missed in the build-up to Livingston’s second goal of the day but got only a booking for his expression of his irritation.

“There were some baffling decisions where even their players were asking what was happening,” said MacKenzie. “It was just bemusing. I was booked for complaining but when you see it happening so often and it’s so blatant that you don’t know what they’re watching . . . sometimes you feel that enough’s enough and you just have to vent your frustration.”

Dykes, the Livingston forward, has been so encouraged by the club’s start to the campaign that he believes Gary Holt’s side can compound all sorts of expectations this season.

Livingston are currently in third spot after two draws and two wins, the latest of which came against St Mirren on Saturday afternoon.

And Dykes is confident that as the campaign progresses Livingston are capable of hanging onto their lofty position.

“I look week by week but I can’t see why we can’t go for the European place,” said the Australian. “You look at other teams and where you expect them to be and they are not. We are there because we work hard and we have proved that to other people but we need to go week by week and not look too much to the future.

“We have a little break now and then we’ll be back and looking to keep doing what we’re doing.

“I think we have a great team and I think we can surprise a lot of people.

“The recruitment has been great and what they have done and brought in is great. We are a tight team.

“Everyone has one another’s backs and we all work for each other so it goes a long way and that is showing. Teams have got to be scared coming to us.”

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