Heck’s boys end the hex
PREMIERSHIP LIVE ST JOHNSTONE...1 HIBS...2 GARY RALSTON AT McDIARMID PARK
TEN-MAN Hibs ended their Saints hoodoo as Tommy Wright’s side shot themselves in the foot in their bid for a top-six finish.
Hibs came from behind to record their first win against the McDiarmid Park men in six years after going eight games without a victory since 2013.
Chris Kane fired the home side in front in the first half and they looked good for a win until an act of folly from Liam Craig gifted Marc McNulty a penalty equaliser.
Vykintas Slivka was sent off moments later for a second yellow card but McNulty struck his sixth goal in four matches five minutes from time to extend new boss Paul Heckingbottom’s perfect start to three wins.
It sparked another mini pitch invasion Scottish football could do without as Saints missed the chance to move into the top half.
Hibs named an unchanged team for the fourth game on the trot, surely something of a Premiership record this season.
Saints had a legitimate penalty claim dismissed in the opening minutes when David Wotherspoon was upended in the box by Darren McGregor but ref Gavin Duncan didn’t want to know.
Hibs, with Daryl Horgan lively, tested Cammy Bell with a couple of shots from distance but it was Saints who opened the scoring in 15 minutes. Wotherspoon’s corner from the left was met by Jason Kerr, unchallenged at the back post, and although it took a couple of nibbles from Kane he eventually fired into the roof of the net from point-blank range.
Saints should have gone two up nine minutes later when they swept forward on the counter but Kane fired wide.
Kane was giving Paul Hanlon a torrid time and the Hibs stopper was lucky to escape with only a yellow card when he was turned again at the edge of the box before half-time.
Matty Kennedy then sent his flying header inches wide within minutes of the restart. Saints No.1 Bell almost let Hibs back into it when he fumbled a high cross from Horgan under no pressure but Scott Tanser booted clear.
But Liam Craig did just that in 65 minutes when he barged Florian Kamberi in the back and, while there was a suspicion the Swiss dived, McNulty blasted in the spot-kick.
Having earlier been booked for diving, Slivka walked for hauling down Tony Watt as he made a darting run towards the box.
But Hibs netted a sublime winner against the odds in 85 minutes. Sub Stephane Omeonga carved open the home defence with a stunning pass down the inside left channel and McNulty timed his run to perfection to loft over Bell.