For large periods of this game, much of the fare on offer was about as appetising as a bushtucker challenge on I’m A Celebrity.
However, the explosive final 10 minutes made up for what had preceded it with a missed penalty by St Johnstone substitute Nigel Hasselbaink, a winning goal against the run of play for Hibs through Paul Cairney and then a late red card for home skipper Dave Mackay for what looked like an attempted head butt.
A subdued Saints boss Steve Lomas lamented what had turned out to be a night to forget for the Perth club.
He said: ”We had enough chances to win a couple of games. It was an eventful second half.
“Davie Robertson looks like he has sustained a nasty, nasty injury, which just puts the cherry on the cake.”
It was an astonishing ending to a game that prior to kick-off had been full of great expectations for St Johnstone.
There was the tantalising possibility that Saints could go top of the SPL if they managed to beat Hibs and the other half of Edinburgh in the shape of Hearts could triumph over Celtic at Tynecastle.
With the Hoops looking vulnerable in the league following last weekend’s defeat at home to Inverness, the stage was set for St Johnstone to capitalise on any further slip-ups.
However, Saints’ top-of-the-table hopes were all but dashed just half an hour after the early Tynecastle kick-off with Celtic racing into an early 3-0 lead.
The Perth side still had plenty to play for, though, as they looked to move up the table.
St Johnstone boss Steve Lomas made two changes from the side that won down in Kilmarnock at the weekend.
Hasselbaink was still struggling with the foot injury he sustained in the incident that saw the Ayrshire side’s Manuel Pascali sent off and was only fit enough to take a place on the bench.
Rowan Vine, who came on to replace Hasselbaink and ultimately to net the winner, was drafted into the starting line-up to the left of the front two of Gregory Tade and Steven MacLean.
Callum Davidson missed out altogether and was replaced at full-back by Gary Miller.
As the fans settled down for kick-off, Cowdenbeath boss Colin Cameron also took his seat in the main stand on a scouting mission before the two sides meet in the Scottish Cup at Central Park at the weekend.
He was to witness a cautious opening from both sides and it wasn’t until the ninth minute that either keeper was called into action, when Alan Mannus had to shift sharpish across his goal to snuff out a 20-yard shot from David Wotherspoon that had taken a deflection off Dave Mackay.
The home fans had to wait until the 22nd minute to witness their side’s first pop at goal with Vine racing down the right into space but his tame effort was easily dealt with by Ben Williams.
As the half-hour mark approached, St Johnstone began dominating possession and forced a succession of corners. However, they just could not carve out any clear-cut chances.
All too often, the final ball was misplaced to the frustration of the home fans and manager Lomas in the technical area.
At this stage, both midfields were cancelling one another out and the game was crying out for someone to take it by the scruff of the neck.
Tade looked to do just that in the 37th minute when he broke powerfully towards the Hibs goal only to be chopped down by Ryan McGivern right on the edge of the visitors’ penalty area.
A posse of Saints players arrived looking to take the free-kick but skipper Mackay pulled rank and unfortunately also pulled his drive into the Hibs wall.
Five minutes later, Tade was again instrumental in another Saints opportunity down the right, this time as he directed an inviting ball back towards MacLean.
But as the former Rangers striker looked to pull the trigger, Paul Hanlon made a crucial intervention to clear the danger.
However, the Hibs defender’s timing was awry shortly after when he was late on Tade and was booked by referee Craig Thomson.
Hanlon almost paid an even higher price at the resultant free-kick from 25 yards.
This time, Liam Craig took responsibility and as his strike took a deflection, Hibs’ hearts were in their mouths when the ball struck the crossbar with Williams well beaten. It was an exciting end to what, in truth, had been a dull first half.
Shortly after the restart, Tade latched onto a McGivern error but with a lack of support, he had no other option but to attempt a shot from a difficult angle which flew wildly over the Hibs bar.
Hibs danger man Leigh Griffiths had largely been subdued but he sparked into life in the 53rd minute looking to launch a break from just inside his own half however, Saints Miller snuffed out that danger illegally and he was shown a yellow by Mr Thomson.
A few minutes later, Griffiths whipped in a dangerous free-kick from the right which flashed straight through to Mannus, narrowly missing the outstretched leg of Mackay who must have feared he would deflect the ball into his own net.
Frazer Wright became the second Saints player to be cautioned on the hour mark when he protested too much over a disputed corner decision.
Two minutes later, St Johnstone produced their best move of the match when MacLean played the ball to the left for Craig who in turn passed back to the striker.
He showed great control to beat a defender but his shot from 15 yards was well saved by Williams.
Griffiths was again a thorn in Saints flesh as he broke down the left before whipping in a dangerous shot-cross which Wright superbly cleared away to safety.
With both sides struggling for the breakthrough, tempers started to fray with Williams taking exception to a MacLean challenge and then Jorge Claros being yellow-carded for persistent fouling.
However, Saints were handed that golden chance to break the deadlock with just 10 minutes remaining.
MacLean had broken into the Hibs box and had two chances with the first one saved and the second breaking to Mackay who forced his way back into the box only to be upended by David Wotherspoon with the referee pointing to the spot.
Surprisingly, Hasselbaink was handed the responsibility of taking the penalty and his effort was saved by Williams diving to his right. Craig followed up to lash the rebound but Williams again came to the rescue.
Lomas was sent to the stand after launching vehement protests towards the ref.
And Saints were certainly made to pay for that penalty miss when just two minutes later, Hibs took a shock lead.
Griffiths fortuitously hit the ball into the path of Cairney who kept his cool to steer a shot past Mannus from 12 yards.
Steven Anderson had a great chance to at least salvage a point but his goalbound header was turned away by Claros.
A bad night for Saints became much worse when first David Robertson was stretchered off and then Mackay was shown a straight red for what looked like a head-butt in the direction of Griffiths.
Attendance 3,266.
St Johnstone Mannus, Mackay, Wright, Anderson, Millar, Davidson, Tade (Robertson, 78, Caddis, 90), Craig, MacLean, Miller, Vine (Hasselbaink, 71). Subs not used – Tuffey, Caddis, Scobbie, Kane, Rodger.
Hibs Williams, McGivern, Hanlon, Claros, Griffiths, Doyle (Caldwell, 67), Cairney (Sproule, 87), Wotherspoon, Stevenson, Maybury, Taiwo. Subs not used – Murdoch, Handling, Stanton, Kuqi, Donaldson.
Referee Craig Thomson.