Kilmarnock left it late to claim a crucial 1-0 victory over Livingston in the cinch Premiership at Rugby Park.
The visitors failed to convert a number of chances in the first half against their out-of-sorts hosts and they were punished at the death.
Substitute Kevin van Veen was the provider, knocking the ball across goal for Marley Watkins to bundle home two minutes from time.
Killie strengthened their grip on fourth spot after winning their first league match of the year, while Livingston’s miserable winless run has stretched to 17, meaning they remain six points adrift at the foot of the table.
Greg Stewart was handed his first start for Kilmarnock and Liam Donnelly replaced Liam Polworth as Derek McInnes made two changes to the team that drew with Motherwell four days earlier.
Livingston made four changes as they looked to taste victory in the Premiership for the first time since October.
Tete Yengi started in the Premiership for the first time, while Daniel Mackay, Steven Bradley and Michael Nottingham all returned to the side.
Bradley had a weak early shot from distance smothered by Will Dennis, while Kyle Vassell blazed high and wide of the target at the other end.
The visitors passed up a good opportunity after 20 minutes when Nottingham rose to meet Bradley’s free-kick, though his header sailed harmlessly into the arms of the Killie keeper.
It required an important intervention from Jamie Brandon to turn Stuart Findlay’s dangerous cross behind for a corner – but the home supporters were growing increasingly frustrated at the laboured tempo of their team.
Livingston had the ball in the net six minutes before the break after Scott Pittman raced onto Yengi’s defence-splitting pass and rolled the ball home, only to have his celebrations cut short by the offside flag.
On the stroke of half-time, Pittman curled an effort just wide with Dennis scrambling and Yengi then prodded wide after being brilliantly set free by Bradley.
The home fans voiced their displeasure at the end of the first half and McInnes reacted by making a double change at the break. Matty Kennedy replaced Tom Davies and Polworth came on for David Watson.
Shamal George had been a virtual spectator but came up with a brilliant stop five minutes into the second half as he leapt to tip away Kennedy’s goal-bound shot.
The Livi keeper was at it again on the hour-mark, sensationally keeping out Donnelly’s close-range header.
The home supporters were lifted by the introduction of Van Veen on 71 minutes, part of a triple switch by the hosts.
Killie survived a huge scare when Mo Sangare passed up a glorious chance after being picked out by Andrew Shinnie.
The Lions almost paid the price for their lack of cutting edge when Murray found Watkins with a pin-point cross, though he was the latest to be denied by more heroics from George.
Kennedy stung the palms of the keeper before the hosts finally made the breakthrough with two minutes left.
Van Veen did well to nod Kennedy’s cross into the path of Watkins who turned the ball into the net.
No Neymar return until 2025, says Al-Hilal boss Jesus
Neymar will not return from his anterior cruciate ligament injury until January 2025 at the earliest, Al-Hilal boss Jorge Jesus has warned.
Neymar left Paris Saint-Germain for Al-Hilal in a €90million deal in August 2023, becoming one of the faces of the Saudi Pro League's major recruitment drive.
However, he only played five matches for the club before rupturing his ACL while on international duty with Brazil last October.
The 32-year-old subsequently missed the remainder of the season as well as the Selecao's ill-fated Copa America campaign, and he remains some way away from a return.
Neymar was removed from Al-Hilal's Saudi Pro League squad in September, with the 19-time champions only able to register a maximum of eight foreign players for the first half of the season.
Reports had suggested Neymar was close to a return after Al-Hilal posted footage of him training on social media, but Jesus says Brazil's all-time leading scorer must wait until the halfway point of the campaign before being considered.
"Neymar is an important player for Al Hilal and the league in general," Jesus told reporters on Tuesday.
"I can't, however, specify a date as to when he will return, but we will look at the situation in January."
With no restrictions on foreign players featuring in the AFC Champions League, Neymar could, in theory, play in that competition if he returns to fitness before January.
Al-Bukayriyah 0-1 Al-Hilal: Leonardo sends defending King's Cup champions through
Marcos Leonardo's first-half penalty was enough to book Al-Hilal a spot in the King's Cup round of 16 with a 1-0 win over Al-Bukayriyah.
The defending champions dominated from the start, with Abdullah Al Hamddan and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic both seeing early efforts saved by Dziugas Bartkus.
Al Hamddan then won the game-winning spot-kick in the 40th minute, being brought down in the box by Ibrahim Al Sunaytan, and Leonardo made no mistake from 12 yards.
Al-Hilal kept pushing for another goal, with substitutes Renan Lodi and Aleksandar Mitrovic both testing Bartkus in the second half, but they could not add to the scoreline.
Neymar, who is gearing up for his return to action after a year on the sidelines, was not involved for Al-Hilal, who lead the way in the Saudi Pro League.
Data Debrief: Leonardo proves the difference
Al-Hilal were dominant in the first half, completely overwhelming their opponents as they had 12 of their 17 shots before the break, getting five of those on target.
But across the 90 minutes, it was Leonardo who was the standout, having the second-most shots (three) and accumulating 0.82 expected goals (xG).
His only shot on target may have been the winning penalty, but he proved a handful as he also had the most touches in the opposition box (10).
Al-Bukayriyah 0-1 Al-Hilal: Leonardo sends defending King Cup champions through
Marcos Leonardo's first-half penalty was enough to book Al-Hilal a spot in the King Cup round of 16 with a 1-0 win over Al-Bukayriyah.
The defending champions dominated from the start, with Abdullah Al Hamddan and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic both seeing early efforts saved by Dziugas Bartkus.
Al Hamddan then won the game-winning spot-kick in the 40th minute, being brought down in the box by Ibrahim Al Sunaytan, and Leonardo made no mistake from 12 yards.
Al-Hilal kept pushing for another goal, with substitutes Renan Lodi and Aleksandar Mitrovic both testing Bartkus in the second half, but they could not add to the scoreline.
Neymar, who is gearing up for his return to action after a year on the sidelines, was not involved for Al-Hilal, who lead the way in the Saudi Pro League.
Data Debrief: Leonardo proves the difference
Al-Hilal were dominant in the first half, completely overwhelming their opponents as they had 12 of their 17 shots before the break, getting five of those on target.
But across the 90 minutes, it was Leonardo who was the standout, having the second-most shots (three) and accumulating 0.82 expected goals (xG).
His only shot on target may have been the winning penalty, but he proved a handful as he also had the most touches in the opposition box (10).
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