Joe Hugill slips the ball past Jerome PriorSNS

Joe Hugill has seven goals in his past eight games for Kilmarnock

At a glance

  • Kilmarnock make it four wins from five in the post-split fixtures

  • Hugill - who nets double - and Curtis continue fine scoring form as Clescenco opens account

  • Relegated Livingston had led through May

Livingston v Kilmarnock

17 May 2026

Watch on iPlayer
Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

Kilmarnock finished the Scottish Premiership season with a flourish, winning their fourth game in a row for the first time since 2018 as they dispatched already-relegated Livingston.

Plenty of Killie fans were worried about how the season might pan out, but in the final few games Neil McCann's side have found free-scoring form, netting three or more goals in four successive games.

In a dead rubber final match of the campaign, McCann was adamant his side it was "no holidays yet" for his side.

He might have been worried about the opening stages as Kilmarnock fell behind after sloppy passing at the back let Stevie May in to open the scoring.

But within five minutes, Killie were level and they didn't look back from there. Joe Hugill got the equaliser, tapping in at the front post from a Dom Thompson cross.

After another 10 minutes they were ahead, breaking up the pitch on the counter before Nicky Clescenco skipped inside two players to curl home for his first Killie goal.

Two further strikes came in the second half, with World Cup hopeful Findlay Curtis scoring after another Thompson cutback and Hugill adding his second when he was played through one-on-one.

However, ninth place was snatched from their grasp by Dundee, who scored a last-minute winner against Aberdeen to keep Killie 10th.

Analysis: Killie finish season in style as Livi limp away

Kilmarnock fans can be forgiven for not wanting the summer break to come. It is the first time since the heady days of Steve Clarke they have found such fine form.

In the past few games, when it has really mattered, everything has clicked. They've been clinical, found a system that works, and played the kind of football many managers promise - eye-catching, attacking, ambitious.

The reason behind that is simple. No one strengthened better in January than Kilmarnock.

Ex-Arsenal youngster Tyreece John-Jules was a revelation before his quad injury. He was suitably replaced by their top league scorer Hugill.

Michael Schjonning-Larsen has slotted into the defence and provides cover on both sides. Aaron Tshibola has been superb in the heart of midfield.

Clescenco has been slower to bed in, but now has his first goal and looks dangerous on the left, while Findlay Curtis comes alive wherever he is played and is expected to be named in Steve Clarke's Scotland World Cup squad on Tuesday.

McCann wasn't necessarily a popular appointment when he arrived, but he has turned it around and then some. Now his task is simple over the summer. Build on the positivity and keep up his recruitment hit rate.

Attacking stats from Livingston v KilmarnockSNS

Managerless Livingston played their part in an entertaining game, but again defending badly let them down.

They must look at what St Johnstone did last summer, and what Ross County did, and recruit wisely. They've already announced the pre-contract signings of Arbroath defender Luke Wilkie, York City forward Tyrese Sinclair and Motherwell midfielder Sam Nicholson.

There will be plenty of changes, but can they keep key players? Lewis Smith, a bright light in a dismal season, has been linked with Kilmarnock already.

Clarity over the managerial position is needed. Scott Arfield does not sound entirely enamoured with the role, and after the messy exit of Marvin Bartley, the picture is far from clear.

Who is signing the players that are already in the door? What is David Martindale's role going to be next season? Answers on a postcard, from a summer destination of your choice.

What they said

Livingston interim Scott Arfield: "[The club is] in a period of large transition. The biggest thing is [the board] need to get it right. They need to, because the Championship is a tough league to get out of.

"This needs to kick on in the next two or three weeks. Get ready for pre-season and the Cup competitions and hit the ground running to get the calibre of player through these doors to get the club back to the top division."

Kilmarnock boss Neil McCann: "The performance today was outstanding, considering maybe a lot of people thought this was a dead rubber game, we were still hunting down ninth. Congratulations to Dundee, not only staying up, Elvis [Steven Pressley] has done a brilliant job there.

"After 15 minutes, they had to get a wee jag because it wasn't good enough. They were slack on the ball and we conceded. But after that, I thought we were exceptional."

Player of the match

F. Curtis
9.08
23 B. Kabongolo
7.00
2 C. Kerr
6.86
25 M. Tait
6.86
27 D. Wilson
6.71
28 J. Prior
6.50
26 C. Montaño
6.33
20 E. Danso
6.14
17 S. May
6.00
7 J. Nouble
5.67
29 J. Zimmerman
5.67
36 S. Culbert
5.60
10 B. McKay
5.57
6 A. Denholm
5.50
15 L. Smith
5.14
9 R. Muirhead
4.86
3 Babacar Fati
4.50
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