David Martindale is viewing the next month as an opportunity for Livingston to move into the top half of the cinch Premiership.

The Lions are currently seventh in the table as they enter a run of games against sides their manager believes are of a “similar” standard to his.

Three of Livi’s next four games are at home to Kilmarnock, St Johnstone and Ross County, while the other is away to St Mirren.

“This is an opportunity for us,” he said. “No disrespect to our opponents – they’ll be saying the same as what I’m saying – but we’re going into a run of fixtures where there’s hopefully a good chance of picking up points.

“It’s all teams around a similar level in terms of ability. It’s an opportunity to pick points up but Kilmarnock, St Mirren, St Johnstone and Ross County will also be saying that when they play us. Saturday (against Kilmarnock) in isolation is an opportunity to pick up three points.”

Martindale feels Livi should be slightly higher in the league than they are currently.

“Our start’s been okay but we should probably be sitting a bit prettier than where we are at this point in time,” he said, reflecting on how things have gone for his side over the opening six games. “A bad decision went against us at Motherwell that cost us a point and that still irks me.

“We’re in a not-bad position. I’m happy enough with the progress but disappointed we’re only sitting with nine points.”

Livi return to action against Killie after their scheduled trip to Celtic last Saturday was postponed as a mark of respect following the death of the Queen. Martindale would have preferred for the games to go ahead last weekend but had no gripe with the postponement.

“I just go with the flow, to be honest,” he said. “I think it would have been nice to play the games and show our appreciation on the Saturday but you’ve got to go with what society wants and I was more than happy for the game to get cancelled because that’s what everybody was doing. I can understand that perspective.”