A Steven Lawless penalty and Scott Pittman's strike three minutes later earned Livingston the points.

Holt said: "I'm delighted. It's always tough to play three games in a week when you've had three weeks off. We showed great resilience having fallen behind and then falling back to 2-2. I think we would have lost that game last year.

"We do our jobs first and foremost defensively and that's what it's all about. It's hard work that gets you results.

"Hamilton didn't roll out the red carpet and let us win the game. You have to graft and put a shift in. If you match their battle then you get a chance to play. We have players in the final third who can create and hurt teams. Our attacking play at times was exceptional."

Holt revealed he would speak to Aymen Souda after the winger thumped a ball down the tunnel in frustration after being substituted and was booked.

The manager added: "We will have a wee discussion this week, shall we say. It was one of those things from a hot-blooded player who was disappointed.

"But if you're not disappointed at getting subbed off then there's something wrong. His blood levels were high and he was probably a bit annoyed at getting taken off, so we'll have a wee chat as there's a right way and a wrong way to react."

Hamilton manager Brian Rice admitted he had no complaints about the result but felt having to field a makeshift defence did not help their cause.

He said: "Livingston thoroughly deserved to win. It's really difficult to put a team out when you have five or six regulars not starting through injury.

"Any team in the Premiership can't afford that. You saw it today – a makeshift back four who have never played together and some have never played for the club before.

"I thought we were a soft touch defensively. We know Livingston's set-plays are good. They go and attack it and are aggressive. We have lost a goal from a throw-in, a cross and a corner – everything we knew they would do and spoke about."