Best day of his life as jolly Jim seals third spot.

NEIL CAMERON

HEARTS 2 LIVINGSTON 3

LIVINGSTON boss Jim Leishman piled praise on his players after they clinched third place in the SPL and admitted this was the biggest achievement of his long career.

Spanish star David Fernandez, who is almost certain to leave in the summer, earned a special tribute for his role in the Almondvale side's dream debut in the top flight.

Leishman said: "There are so many stories surrounding David - and no wonder. You look at the tricks he can do and he has what I call the wow factor.

"The whole team has been great and to finish the best of the rest is a humungous achievement. There is nothing I have done in football which compares to this."

Hearts fans raced on to the park at the end to say goodbye to 1998 Scottish Cup Final heroes Thomas Flogel and Stephane Adam.

Boss Craig Levein said: "The reaction the two boys got shows what they are thought of here. I don't know who else will go because of the uncertainty over the TV deal."

Ricardo Fuller is another Jambo on the move and he almost marked his farewell appearance by setting up a goal in the first minute.

The Jamaican made a surging run into the box and crossed for Adam who tried to back-heel the ball in.

When that didn't work out Flogel came in at the back post but from a couple of inches out his effort was blocked on the line.

After 12 minutes Lee Makel's diagonal cross found Davide Xausa who took his shot on the volley only to see Roddy McKenzie make a decent save.

Six minutes later the visitors should have taken the lead when a Fernandez run set up Francisco Quino for his shot but he totally fluffed his effort.

Hearts grabbed the lead five minutes after the interval in bizarre fashion.

Joe Hamill's corner was met by Flogel and his header looked goalbound until Quino blocked on the line.

The ball went high in the air, Fuller jumped for it along with Javier Sanchez Broto and the Livi keeper appeared to put through his own net, although the striker was credited the goal.

Livi's lead lasted just three minutes. McKenzie made a mess of Quino's shot and the ball slipped from his grasp and just crossed the line. Adam was looking to go out on a high note and was unfortunate when a 50-yard mazy run ended with a shot which was inches too high.

Livi stormed ahead after 72 minutes with what was a rare second-half attack.

Makel burst into the box and cut the ball back for sub David Bingham who tapped it into the net.

When news filtered through of Celtic's goal at Pittodrie the Livi fans started to celebrate.

And their victory was sealed in the dying moments when Barry Wilson's shot deflected off Scott Severin and looped over McKenzie.

Hearts were awarded a penalty right at the death when Steve Tosh tripped Stephen tripped Simmons.

Fulton converted but it was too late for a comeback.

HEARTS - McKenzie, Maybury, McKenna, Tod, McCann, Flogel (Simmons 83), Severin, Gronlund (Fulton 71), Hamill, Fuller, Adam (Wales 81). Sub: Niemi, Milne. Booked: Flogel.

LIVINGSTON - Broto, Brinquin, Andrews, Rubio, Santini, Makel (Tosh 75), Lovell, Quino, Wilson, Fernandez (Caputo 84), Xausa (Bingham 65). Subs: McEwan, Hart. Booked: Makel.

Referee - H Dallas.

MAN OF THE MATCH:

David Fernandez (Livingston)

Taken from the Daily Record