Lennon always believed Celtic would recover against Livingston

Livingston v Celtic
Published 4th Mar 2020

Neil Lennon claims he had "total belief'' that Celtic would come back after Tom Rogic's stoppage-time strike earned the Hoops a point from a 2-2 draw at Livingston.

Hoops midfielder Callum McGregor's 16th-minute opener was cancelled out by Livi captain Jon Guthrie after a Fraser Forster fumble.

Midfielder Scott Robinson, who had scored in the Lions' 2-0 win over the Hoops in October, notched less than a minute after the break. However, at the death, substitute Rogic slammed in an equaliser to take Celtic 13 points clear of Rangers, who lost 1-0 at home to Hamilton.

Parkhead boss Lennon said: I was delighted with the performance and we deserved three points.

Their goal could easily have been a foul on Fraser, their second goal was poor from our point of view and for the rest of the game we were magnificent.

Against a difficult opponent on a difficult pitch, we were absolutely outstanding.

I had total belief that we would get the equaliser.

Tom came up with the goods but the team were fantastic, their mindset, intensity and will to win was there in evidence.

I am sitting here disappointed that it is the first two points we have dropped in 2020 and I didn't think we deserved it because we dominated the game for long periods and in the end we broke them. It is a privilege for me to manage this team.''

Livingston boss Gary Holt, whose side are unbeaten in their last nine home games, said: I'm absolutely buzzing. They are an exceptional side.

The never-say-die attitude from both teams to get something out of the game was in abundance.

They had three talented substitutes to put more pressure on you.

If they equalised in the third minute of the second half and it ends the same, you are still disappointed because you have had a lot of the game and had chances.

But you play to the final whistle and we had chances to put the game beyond them.

But as an entertaining spectacle I thought it was excellent.''