The visitors were the better side in the first half and deserved their advantage at the break courtesy of a Jordan Obita own goal.
We improved after the break and levelled through a stunning Martin Boyle effort only to immediately concede at the other end as Bruce Anderson headed in.
A wonderful Mohammed Sangare goal had the Livingston fans in dreamland and although Josh Campbell pulled one back for us late on, it proved to be too little, too late.
Boss Lee Johnson made five changes following our midweek European encounter with Aston Villa. James Jeggo, Christian Doidge, Allan Delferriere, Rocky Bushiri and Riley Harbottle all came into the starting XI.
Paul Hanlon, Lewis Stevenson, Lewis Miller, Dylan Vente and Josh Campbell all dropped to the bench, meaning Joe Newell was given the honour of captaining the side this afternoon.
With no game in midweek, David Martindale had more time to prepare for this afternoon’s contest and made two changes to his side. Christian Montano and Stephen Kelly dropping out for Jamie Brandon and Scott Pittman.
We started with a 4-3-3 formation. Harbottle, Fish, Bushiri and Obita formed a new-look back four, Jeggo, Delferriere and Newell were the midfield trio whilst, Boyle and Youan were supporting Doidge in attack.
Both sides went into this one searching for their first league win of the new season. The importance of three points today was not lost on either club however, it was the visitors that started the brightest.
Livi won themselves a corner kick inside the opening minute and went close to an early breakthrough. A deep hanging cross was headed back across goal by Mikey Devlin and flicked on by Ayo Obileye; thankfully it was a poor effort and straight into the grateful arms of David Marshall.
The small band of Livingston supporters at Easter Road this afternoon did not have long to wait before they were celebrating as James Penrice’s low driven cross from the left was turned in at the back post by Jordan Obita as he attempted to stop Scott Pittman from scoring.
After a heavy defeat in midweek, this was exactly the sort of start we were desperate to avoid and the similarities to the goals lost on Wednesday will certainly have frustrated Johnson and his staff.
It was important to quickly put that goal behind us and refocus. We went close to an early equaliser when Delferriere’s cross from the right was glanced just over the crossbar by Doidge, with goalkeeper George rooted to the spot.
With their noses in front, Livingston dropped deeper and began to suffocate the game. They would have everyone bar Guthrie behind the ball and look to deny us any space in and around their penalty box.
Youan showed flashes of brilliance on the left however all too often there was little support for him, and Livingston would eventually clear after flooding their box with bodies.
Worryingly, on the counterattack, Livingston almost produced a carbon copy of the opening goal and although no one was on the end of the cross, it still came at a cost for us as Pittman clattered into Marshall.
The former Scotland goalkeeper required lengthy treatment and although he was able to continue initially, he was replaced by Max Boruc at half-time.
We started the second period with a bit more purpose than we had shown in the first and had an early opportunity when Youan’s cut back found Delferriere on the edge of the Livi box; the midfielder struck it first time, left footed and his shot flashed just wide of goal.
At the other end we had a huge let off when Nouble burst clean through on goal, with only Boruc to beat he opted to shoot early, and the goalkeeper produced a wonderful stop to deny him and keep us in the contest.
We were soon back on the attack and a lovely one-two between Youan and Delferriere created a shooting opportunity for the former that Luiyi de Lucas bravely blocked at the expense of a corner kick.
On 60 minutes we deservedly pulled level thanks to the individual brilliance of Boyle. The talismanic attacker drove at the Livi backline, peeling off the right flank, evading two challenges before drawing George and smashing a shot high into the net.
The relief around Easter Road Stadium was palpable however it lasted less than a minute as Livingston restored their advantage when substitute Anderson was afforded a free header at goal from another pin-point Penrice cross.
Boss Johnson immediately made a triple change and sent on Vente, Campbell and Le Fondre in an attempt to change our fortunes.
Unfortunately, it would get worse for us when Sangare latched onto a wonderful pass from Andrew Shinnie that dropped in behind Fish and struck a wonderful left foot strike beyond Boruc from 22 yards.
Livingston were picking us off on the counterattack and should have increased their lead when Nouble was again put through on goal, however this time he didn’t have the pace to evade Jeggo who tracked back brilliantly to block.
Seconds later, a Penrice cross looped over Boruc and crashed back into play off the crossbar as the visitors almost put the game beyond us.
Then, with five minutes remaining, we were handed a lifeline as George spilled a Newell cross and Campbell was alive to prod it home.
We pushed for a leveller in the closing moments however Livingston defended stoutly and claimed all three points.
Hibernian: Marshall (Boruc 46’), Fish, Youan, Boyle, Newell, Jeggo, Obita, Doidge, Harbottle (Le Fondre 64’), Delferriere (Campbell 64’), Doidge (Vente 64’). Substitutes not used: Miller, Hanlon, Stevenson, Molotnikov, Megwa.
Livingston: George, Devlin, Obileye, Pittman, Brandon (Sangare 65’), Holt, Nouble (Boyes 94’), Shinnie, De Lucas, Guthrie (Anderson 58’), Penrice. Substitutes not used: Hamilton, Bahamboula, Kelly, Bradley, Ledingham, Lawal.
Referee: Craig Napier.
Attendance: 14,932.
