Perugia returned to winning ways in Serie B as they swatted aside a Livorno side who appeared threatening until Gianmario Comi's dismissal towards the latter end of the first-half.
The forward received his marching orders minutes after Marco Moscati, once of Perugia, had edged the visitors infront.
Thereafter, the home side assumed control, with Matteo Ardemagni's brace adding gloss to Jean Armel Drole and Vittorio Parigini's respective strikes.
A frantic start
The clash began at break-neck speed, with Livorno fashioning a shot at the home side's goal within three minutes. Gianmario Comi profited from a smart counter-attack from the visitors but, after gliding past Nicola Belmonte, struck a tame effort at Antonio Rosati's goal.
Livorno swiftly monopolised possession and, on six minutes, threatened the Perugia rearguard. Alessandron Lambruighi, frequently showcasing his assured distribution throughout, instigated the move in midfield but after Cristian Pasquato's lay-off fell to Enej Jelenic, but the midfielder dragged his effort straight down the throat of Rosati.
Vittorio Parigini, cutting in from the right, prompted a fine stop from Ricci minutes later as the hosts marked their intent.
The scales began to tilt in the home side's favour as the first-half evolved. Parigini surged down the right and fizzed a wicked low ball into the penalty area. Arturo Calabresi, perturbed by the presence of Samuel Di Carmine, diverted the ball goalwards and was fortunately denied by the legs of Lambruighi before rising to his feet to foil Pierre Desire Zebli's follow-up.
Pasquato, who had threatened earlier in the half, then rounded an advancing Rosati on 20 minutes but the Perugia backline retreated and managed to clear the forward’s attempted dink to safety.
Bortolo Mutti was incensed at his side's complacency as the game crept towards the interval but he would have been euphoric by the quality of Livorno's opener. Pasquato, who illuminated the forward line with his peerless close control and vision, beguiled Perugia defender Marco Rossi before his goal-bound effort was thwarted by an outstretched Zebli. Falling invitingly for Marco Moscati, the midfielder struck a low effort beyond Rosati and into the bottom corner with unerring accuracy. His celebration, given he spent three years on-loan at Perugia, was understandably muted.
His former employers responded with an effort of their own, however, with Francesco Della Rocca rising highest from a corner and prompting a fingertip stop from the Livorno No.1.
The spectacle took another twist on 37 minutes when Livorno forward Comi was dismissed after a petulant altercation with Belmonte. Refusing to accept the referee’s punishment, Comi talked himself into a second yellow within seconds and Livorno would be forced to play the remainder of the clash with a numerical disadvantage.
Della Rocca, within minutes of his earlier attempt, emancipated himself inside the penalty area and directed a header towards goal, but Ricci was equal to his glancing header.
Livorno were, alarmingly, controlling the lion's share of possession to begin the second period, producing some cute, crisp football that, on one instance, was almost embellished by a second goal.
Perugia, however, almost fashioned a leveller from a corner when Belmonte's header, via a errant paw from Rosati, presented Volta with an ostensible tap-in, but the defender snatched at mid-air and the away side survived.
Hosts exploit advantage
An equaliser seemed imminent and, with ten minutes having elapsed after the restart, it soon arrived. Parigini delivered a weighted cross into the penalty box and, as Livorno failed to clear their lines, the ball fell invitingly to Jean Armel Drole who prodded beyond Ricci.
The architect, Parigini, then threatened seconds later as Perugia tried to exploit their man advantage.
And exploiting it they duly did. With twenty minutes to play, Lorenzo Del Prete floated a delightful ball to the far stick where Drole headed back across goal to Matteo Ardemagni to provide the cutest of touches to notch the hosts ahead.
The points were sealed four minutes later when Parigini, doubtless the brightest attacker on the evening, persisted after drawing a fine save from Ricci with his header. As the ball bounced back to winger, he floated inside and curled a delicious effort beyond the Livorno No.1. Damningly, however, the winger was dismissed for whipping off his shirt in celebration and parity was restored.
Schiavone worried Rosati from distance on 85 minutes but the visitors efforts were in vain when Ardemagni profited from Drole's attempted strike across goal to prod into the roof of the Livorno net.