Simon Murray's early double wasn't enough to earn Dundee a first win in five games as bottom club Livingston fought back to salvage a point in their desperate fight for Scottish Premiership survival.

Dundee got off to the perfect start, taking the lead within three minutes. Yan Dhanda's corner was nodded on by Tony Yogane and Murray was on hand at the near post to lash home.

Only 127 seconds later, the Dundee captain netted his second, nodding in from a Cameron Congreve cross.

Livingston roared back into it, making it 2-1 when Lewis Smith saw his deflected shot go in off the post after a flowing passing move.

The Lions drew level after 19 minutes, with a lot of help from Dundee's Jon McCracken. The goalkeeper made a mess of a simple passback under pressure from Robbie Muirhead and when the ball broke to Scott Pittman the midfielder rolled it into an empty net.

The second half couldn't match the excitement of the first, though Dundee had a chance to snatch three points right at the death when Congreve's shot squirmed under Jerome Prior, but the keeper clawed it back on the line.

The draw gives Marvin Bartley his first point since taking over from David Martindale but a lack of cutting edge, and further defensive lapses, mean little has changed for the side rooted to the bottom of the table and who haven't won since August.

Livingston are now eight points behind second-bottom Kilmarnock, who host Celtic on Sunday, while Dundee move up a place to ninth.

Dundee manager Steven Pressley had bemoaned his side's lack of cutting edge pre-match but said they were doing everything to improve their goal tally.

Part of the reason for their toils in front of goal were down to captain and usually reliable scorer Simon Murray not having found the net since 20 September.

Within five minutes, Dundee were two to the good with the forward showing his best side and nabbing both goals.

What will frustrate Pressley now was the inability to build on that explosive start and how easily Livingston were allowed back into the game.

McCracken's horrendous error gifted an equaliser and after that moment some belief seemed to drain out of a side that was brimming with confidence moments earlier.

On the plus side for the Dark Blues was Congreve's performance as he posed a constant threat on the right. And the manager will be able to put together an encouraging highlights reel to lift his team after they let slip a winning position in their bid to climb free of relegation worries.

For Livingston boss Bartley, a first point on the board since taking charge will be little consolation.

Following on from a strong performance against Celtic that could have yielded more, this was a battling and determined 90 minutes that showed once again Livi won't give up without a fight.

There's only so far heart can go, and while there was quality in Smith's goal, and attacking intent that made the most of McCracken's error for the leveller, there was little to suggest the team can go on a winning run.

Dundee manager Steven Pressley: "We looked really fatigued today. We've had a really tough week and I went with the same players on three occasions.

"Maybe in hindsight that's an error on my part because they've done so well but we looked tired in some of our decision-making."

Livingston manager Marvin Bartley: "It's better than losing and we've got more than enough games to catch the teams above us. We play Kilmarnock and St Mirren before the split and post-split you play the teams around you again.

"We're a point closer to Kilmarnock than we were yesterday. I told the players it might not be until the last day of the season we turn it all around but we will turn it around."

Dundee face Aberdeen at Pittodrie next Saturday (15:00 GMT) while Livingston host Rangers on Sunday (15:00).