Livingston defender Ayo Obileye feels they can reap the dividends of believing in each other through a difficult start by getting a top-six place.

Livi fell to a 3-1 defeat by Celtic on Sunday but it was the first time the cinch Premiership leaders had scored against Livi in three meetings this season.

David Martindale’s side ended the weekend in fifth spot and have games against Hearts, St Johnstone and Motherwell remaining before the split.

Obileye, who hit the bar against Celtic, said: “We’ve got three big cup finals from now until the split. We want to get top six, and maybe even fourth. We’ve got three big cup finals coming up now and we’ll look to push on.

“I think we went five games without winning at the start of the season. People maybe start looking at each other in training thinking: ‘What’s going on?’ New players were wondering: ‘Where have I come to?’.

“But we just stuck in. We all believed in each other. The captain (Nicky Devlin) and the gaffer drilled it into us to believe in each other.

“We have got the ability and we believed in each other and had the confidence and it’s showing now.

“We’re gelling together now, we are getting wins. We will keep going and see where it takes us.”