It didn’t take long for Neil Lennon to get a tune out of Dunfermline’s strugglers.
The Celtic hero took the reins at East End Park in what was a massive coup for the Scottish Championship side and guided them to their first win over Livingston this week.
It was the Pars’ first victory in five matches and Lennon’s first of his tenure having come up short against Scott Brown’s Ayr United last weekend. And it came at the expense of title-chasers Livi.
That should give fellow Hoops legend Brown a lift as it keeps the Honest Men ahead of the Lions who no longer have a game in hand.
Neil Lennon’s Dunfermline beat Livingston for his first win as boss
Lennon was beaming at full-time as he applauded his squad for showing the grit they needed to win a big game.
“It was a really tough game but the players responded magnificently to what we asked them to do,” Lennon said at full-time.
“If you play a David Martindale team whether you’re the manager of Celtic, Dunfermline, Hibs, you’re gonna be in a game. It’s gonna be competitive.
“The players had to stand up to that and I thought they did that very well.”
One player who didn’t play for Dunfermline in their 1-0 win over Livi was Victor Wanyama who joined last week.
What Lennon said about Victor Wanyama since he joined Dunfermline
The Kenyan was sent off on his debut in a defeat to Ayr United and is suspended, but Lennon believes the former Celtic powerhouse is showing his quality in training.
And he reckons his old pal will come up big for the Pars this term when he finds his fitness again.
Lenny added: “Victor’s missed tonight but he’s been training really well. He’s starting to look really good now.
“Obviously he’s rusty but his feet and sharpness are getting better. He will be a welcome addition to the squad because it’s a bit threadbare at the minute.”
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