LIVINGSTON manager David Martindale believes the battle for third place in the cinch Premiership is unlikely to take any notable shape until the new year.
While Celtic and Rangers have opened up a predictable gap at the top, the remainder of the league is relatively bunched up, with no team emerging as a clear front-runner to finish best of the rest.
Martindale’s Lions are prominently placed among a pack of sides who sit just below third, and the manager believes the upcoming World Cup break is likely to prevent any team building up a head of steam and drawing clear of their rivals.
