LIVINGSTON players face “the biggest 90 minutes of their careers” tomorrow, says manager David Hopkin.

The Championship outfit are just a game away from securing top-flight football for the first time since 2006 after beating Partick Thistle 2-1 in the first leg of the play-off on Thursday.

It has been a season of exceeding expectations for Hopkin and his Livi players, who finished second in the Championship in their first year back in the division.

They followed that up with an impressive performance, comfortably beating Thistle at the Tony Macaroni Arena to leave themselves within touching distance of the Premiership.

“We will go and do the same again,” the Lions boss said. “I know it will be a tough ask.

“It will be a bigger pitch and I think Thistle will start playing [a bit more] but we cannot let them.

“If we go there and it’s not enough on the day, then I will congratulate Alan [Archibald] and Thistle on staying up, but if we can go and do it and keep the energy levels up, it will probably be the biggest 90 minutes of their careers.

“It’s like a final on Sunday and that’s how we have to treat it.”

It would be a break from recent tradition if the West Lothian side were to condemn Thistle to relegation, with no side from the second tier winning the play-off in the previous three campaigns, and Hopkin recognises that Livi still have work to do.

“It’s another game but it is a massive game for both clubs,” the former Scotland midfielder said.

“We have everything to gain and Partick Thistle have everything to lose, so we just go there with a game plan and hope to replicate what we have done over the last three games.

“I have 15-16 fit players now, so we will have to patch a few people up for Sunday, it will take one massive effort.

“They are knackered but I know they will go again, and that’s the way they are.

“We are 90 minutes away and have given ourselves a great chance.”