Callum Hendry was the St Johnstone hero yet again after his late volley secured a priceless three points for the Perth men against Livingston.
A game that looked to be heading for Saints’ second 0-0 draw in four days was won with Hendry’s 84th minute six-yard strike – his ninth of the season – after Drey Wright’s  magnificent cross from the right.
Not only does the result ensure Saints are in no danger of going down, more importantly it takes them into seventh and within one point of sixth-placed Hibs.
And they travel to Easter Road on Saturday.
Saints had the first near thing of the game – a 17th minute Stevie May glancing header that produced a fine reflex save from Robbie McCrorie to keep the scoreline blank.
Midway through the first half Liam Gordon, one of five changes to the team that drew with St Mirren, made a mess of a headed back pass and he had Zander Clark to thank after Steven Lawless let fly from outside the box. The Perth keeper’s save was even better than McCrorie’s a few minutes earlier.
Two minutes before the break Clark could do nothing about another Lawless shot after the Perth defence was caught flat-footed when Marvin Bartley played a ball through the middle. The low left foot shot, though, was dragged past the far post.
Nothing much happened in the second half until Hendry’s goal and David Wotherspoon came very close to making it 2-0 with a 20 yard shot near the death.
