St Johnstone moved four points clear of Ross County in the race to avoid the play-offs with a superb 2-1 win over Hibs.
Goals from Adama Sidibeh – his second in as many weekends – and Tony Gallacher earned Saints a victory their disciplined performance at Easter Road more than merited.
After Hibs’ Chris Cadden cancelled out Sidibeh’s cool finish on the break, Perth keeper Dimitar Mitov pulled off two stunning second half saves to keep Saints in the game against their top six-chasing opponents.
Then, with the Hibees chasing a winner their fans demanded, Gallacher pounced late on to secure a potentially priceless win for Craig Levein’s side.
Line-up
Liam Gordon was a surprise omission from Saints’ starting 11, with Andy Considine slotting into his place at the heart of defence.
Perth boss Levein otherwise stuck with the system that resulted in a solid showing from his side against Dundee last weekend, with David Keltjens and Tony Gallacher at wing-back, Dan Phillips, Matt Smith and Max Kucheriavyi in midfield and Adama Sidibeh partnering Nicky Clark up front.
Cammy MacPherson, missing since November following thigh surgery, was named on the bench.
First half
As predicted in the build-up by Levein, Saints were confronted at kick-off by an extremely attacking Hibs side, featuring a quintet of pacey forward players.
However, the home side also held a high defensive line from the start, with plenty of space in-behind for the Perth side to exploit, most likely via Sidibeh, if they could find their rhythm.
VAR reared its ugly head inside 10 minutes when Mitov rushed off his line to claim a high ball, only to make contact with Hibs striker Emiliano Marcondes, who hit the deck before lying prone in the box.
On-field referee Grant Irvine waved play-on before his finger went to his earpiece.
Fortunately for the visitors, he was not called to review his decision by video official David Munro.
Saints settled into their shape in the aftermath and probed carefully at their hosts on the break when chances presented themselves.
With 25 minutes on the clock, Sidibeh latched onto a long ball after Kucheriavyi broke Hibs’ flow in midfield, but the striker turned back into the retreating defence and his shot was deflected wide.
10 minutes later Hibs fans were on their feet demanding another penalty after a neat through-ball towards Adam Le Fondre, who fell to the turf under McGowan’s challenge, but again play-on was the call, both on the field and in the VAR booth.
Second half
Having been booed off the pitch by their own fans at half-time, Hibs could have been expected to race out of the traps.
Instead, Saints leapt into the lead inside three minutes when Luke Robinson turned over possession for Matt Smith to pick out Sidibeh, who outpaced Rocky Bushiri and found the far corner of David Marshall’s net with a superb finish.
Hibs were briefly rocked, with St Johnstone enjoying their best spell of football in the subsequent minutes, but when Nick Montgomery’s side worked a 56th minute opportunity on the left, Mitov could only palm Myziane Maolida’s effort into the box for Chris Cadden to side-foot home.
Mitov turned hero for Saints on 65 minutes when he pulled out an incredible, acrobatic save to tip Le Fondre’s flicked effort from close range over the bar.
With Dundee’s 2-0 lead over Motherwell giving them the upper hand over Hibs in the race for the top six, the home side were soon piling on the pressure.
Mitov pulled out another stunning stop from Maolida to keep Saints level.
Clark was replaced by Graham Carey before a tiring Sidibeh made way for Benji Kimpioka with just over 10 minutes left.
But just as it felt it was about to become one-way traffic towards Saints’ goal, Hibs gifted the visitors a cheap corner and, from Carey’s teasing delivery, Tony Gallacher pounced to knock the Perth side back into the lead.
Hibs pushed in the aftermath, winning a succession of corners to fray Perth nerves, but Saints held firm to claim a win celebrated together by players and fans.
Star man
Dimitar Mitov was at fault for Dundee’s opening goal last weekend, but he made St Johnstone’s victory possible at Easter Road with two stunning second half stops from Le Fondre and Maolida.
Both were trademark Mitov – acrobatic, instinctive and improbable.
Back to his stunning best.
Player ratings
St Johnstone (3-5-2): Mitov 9, McGowan 7, Considine 8, Robinson 7, Keltjens 6, M. Smith 7 (May 90+3, 3), Phillips 8, Kucheriavyi 6, Gallacher 8, Clark 7 (Carey 76, 5), Sidibeh 8 (Kimpioka 80, 5).
Subs not used: Richards, MacPherson, Crawford, Franczak, C. Smith.
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