Levein disappointed as Hearts are held by Livingston

Hearts manager Craig Levein was frustrated by his own team more than Livingston after the Ladbrokes Premiership leaders' 100 per cent record ended with a goalless draw at Tynecastle.

Levein started the game in the stand for a second week running but he moved down to the touchline after half an hour in a bid to liven his team up following a series of slack passes and Livingston chances.

Hearts improved but not enough and they were left to rue a missed penalty in the final seconds of the opening half when Liam Kelly saved from Steven Naismith.

Peter Haring and Steven MacLean hit the bar for the hosts but the visitors had the best chance in the second half when Zdenek Zlamal rescued his team by saving from Scott Pittman after Hearts were outnumbered on the break.

After missing the chance to extend their five-point lead, Levein said: “There's a big sense of frustration. Firstly I thought Livingston's game plan was executed really well. They sat deep, waited for us to over-commit, then tried to hit us on the counter-attack, and they had a couple of opportunities when they did that.

“We frustrated me more than Livingston did. The things we have been doing really well, which is moving the ball quickly from side to side, delivering good quality into the box and finishing the chances when they come our way, those things have been evident in all our matches this season.

“So it was frustrating today that we didn't get it. But we still should have won in all honesty. We had opportunities and even more importantly we had opportunities to make a good final pass or a good cross that we squandered. So that's the frustration.

“I didn't plan to be on the touchline but there was a level of frustration. I ended up going down there trying to get the tempo of the match up to the level we needed it at. We got there in some moments but not enough.

“I said to them afterwards that there's a level of respect afforded to teams that have done what the boys have done at the start of the season. So teams will come here and sit in and defend and wait, and ask us to break them down. So that's something that's going to happen on a regular basis.”

Livingston manager Gary Holt praised his players' effort after they moved above Celtic in the league.

Holt said: “To come away and go toe to toe with a really good side who are unbeaten, top of the table, and with a wee bit of care in the final third, we maybe had the best chance in the second half to maybe nick it. Overall, I'm delighted with the attitude and application of the lads.

“The goalie and the three at the back take pride in their job and the guys in front of them certainly make it a wee bit easier with the endeavour and work-rate that they have got. They take pride in clean sheets."

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