He said: "It's difficult playing without a recognised number nine sometimes. You just need someone to lead the line. The team needs help at the top end of the pitch.

"But the January window is traditionally so hard to bring number nines in. Unless you're spending money – like Birmingham going for big Sam – you very rarely get what you want. It's tough.

"We've ran up a few cul-de-sacs chasing players. On Friday I spent more time concentrating on that than I was on the game because we're all under a bit of pressure.

"We knew there was a chance Sam could have gone so ultimately we're scrambling around trying to deal with it. I'm hopeful but we need help."

The draw sees Livingston stretch their unbeaten run to 13 games.

They came close to scoring with a first-half shot from Scott Pittman that was hacked off the line and manager David Martindale was honest enough to admit he did not know if it had gone in or not.

He said: "I have been chirping in the ear of the linesman for the full game, telling him it was definitely in but I am not actually sure. It was a difficult one. It is QTV and it is the same camera angle everyone has got.

"It is maybe in but you can see why he didn't give it. Pitts (Pittman) has got to score, to be honest. He has got to get a cleaner strike on it. So I wouldn't blame the officials.

"But the game went as I thought it would. They are big, they are strong, they are difficult to beat and that is why they are in the top four every year."