HAMILTON gaffer Alex Neil believes a hard-won point at Livingston could be crucial as the race for the Championship title reaches its last three games.

A late Jason Scotland strike salvaged a share of the spoils for the New Douglas Park men when they had seemed dead and buried after they finished the last third of the game with 10 men.

Although that means that Accies have fallen two points behind new leaders Dundee, Neil says all is far from lost.

He fired: "If we had lost and that gap had gone to three points then it would have been a big ask to reclaim them over just three games.

"But this point keeps us in there and all that is required is for Dundee to come a cropper in one of these games while we must keep doing the business in ours.

"Considering we had Steven Hendrie off for the last half-hour and were already a goal down it really underlines how deep the boys dug.

"So Dundee may be on top but it's going to be tough for them to win their last three games and I think there will be another twist in this title race before it's through."

Meanwhile Ian Murray's battling Dumbarton side claimed a 3-1 victory at Ramsdens Cup winners Raith Rovers and moved level with fourth-placed Queen of the South in the final play-off slot, although the Sons have played a game more.

Goals from Mark Gilhaney, Mitch Megginson and Colin Nish saw off 10-man Rovers.

Murray said: "After we had lost to Queens a couple of weeks back people probably thought we had shot our bolt in terms of the play-offs but we have responded strongly.

"To be back level with them in joint fourth is fantastic and underlines the character in our dressing room.

"But we know they have the game in hand tomorrow at Raith and fingers crossed they can do us a favour.

"All we can do now is try and win our remaining games."