Jack McMillan scored the only goal of the game midway through a first half that we dominated but could not convert our opportunities.
Jamie Murphy had a header cleared off the line and Martin Boyle uncharacteristically missed a penalty kick as we trailed at the break.
The second half would be a different story with the home side passing up several chances to extend their lead, whilst we finished with just nine men following red cards for Paul McGinn and Paul Hanlon.
Jack Ross made one change this evening as Murphy came in for his first start since late October. Chris Cadden dropped out completely after picking up a knock at the weekend against Motherwell.
He joined Kyle Magennis, Sean Mackie, Daniel MacKay and Melker Hallberg on the sidelines due to injury.
We made a positive start and put the hosts under early pressure, almost taking the lead when Murphy’s header was hooked off the line by Andrew Shinnie following a corner kick.
Moments later Murphy whipped in a wonderful delivery that found Kevin Nisbet ghosting in between two defenders, the Scotland striker got enough purchase on his header but lacked the direction to trouble Max Stryjek in the Livi goal.
We kept up the pressure and Josh Doig was next to threaten when he peeled off the left flank before shooting wide from the edge of the box as the home defence backed off.
The game appeared to be going well for us however on 16 minutes Livingston scored against the run of play when Hanlon failed to get enough power on his headed clearance and Shinnie pounced before squaring to McMillan to open the scoring.
Thirty seconds after the restart we had a wonderful opportunity to restore parity when we were awarded a penalty kick after Tom Parkes brought down Boyle inside the box. The Australia international took the kick himself but blasted it high over the crossbar.
On 25 minutes Stéphane Omeonga found Sibbald with a terrific hanging cross from the left and the former Falkirk man will feel he should have done better with his shot on the turn that he volleyed wide of goal.
We continued to carve out numerous opportunities with Nisbet going close from a 25-yard free kick before the same player had an effort blocked on the edge of the box when he had Murphy, unmarked and in a better position, to his left.
Shortly before half-time we could have been awarded another penalty kick when Jack Fitzwater kicked through the back of Campbell after the ball had been played into the youngster’s feet. Referee Don Robertson however was unmoved and waved play on.
Ross made a double change at the interval with Christian Doidge and Scott Allan on for the second half.
Allan had a great opportunity to level the game shortly after the restart when McGinn found Boyle on the right, he cut it back to the unmarked substitute who blasted it high over the crossbar from 12 yards.
Luck had not been with us so far this evening, yet it was certainly on our side when Hanlon was fortunate not to be sent off after wiping out Shinnie as he latched onto an Omeona diagonal and was through on goal. Referee Robertson only issuing a yellow card on this occasion.
Alan Forrest was excellent all evening for Livi and caused us problems throughout the match. On 63 minutes he twisted and turned before forcing a save from Matt Macey.
Livingston should have doubled their lead not long after when Ryan Porteous misjudged the flight of a long ball and Cristian Montano was through on goal. He managed to lift it over Macey only for the ball to drop wide of the far post.
We were struggling to get any traction in the game despite the attacking changes and Livingston appeared the more likely to score next with Forrest going close twice.
With ten minutes remaining Stryjek was called into action to make a fine save at his near post as Boyle’s driven effort came through a busy penalty box.
Just four minutes later we were reduced to ten men when McGinn picked up a silly second yellow card for pulling back Montano as the home side countered.
Macey kept our hopes alive with a wonderful save to deny Forrest from point-blank range before following it up with another from Montano soon after.
It would go from bad to worse when we were reduced to nine men after skipper Hanlon saw red after picking up a second yellow card for pulling back Forrest.
Despite it all, we could have snatched a point at the death when Doidge’s knock down fell perfectly for strike partner Nisbet, only for him to blast his shot high over the crossbar.
Livingston: Stryjek, Devlin, Fitzwater, Parkes (Obileye 46’), Penrice, Holt, Omeonga, McMillan (Pittman 66’), Sibbald (Montano 58’), Forrest, Shinnie. Substitutes not used: Maley, Kelly, Anderson, Panayiotou.
Hibernian: Macey, McGinn, Porteous (McGregor 82’), Hanlon, Doig, Doyle-Hayes, Newell, Boyle, Campbell (Allan 46’), Murphy (Doidge 46’), Nisbet. Substitutes not used: Dabrowski, Stevenson, Scott, Gogic.
Referee: Don Robertson.
Attendance: 2,363.