St Johnstone 1-2 Hibs: Marc McNulty double seals huge win for 10-man Hibees

Marc McNulty roars his delight at grabbing a late winner. Picture: SNS Group

Paul Heckingbottom’s side offered practically nothing for an hour, as they found themselves a goal down. When they were gifted a penalty spot equaliser it still appeared a first win in eight games over St Johnstone would prove elusive as they were carelessly reduced to 10 men after Vykintas Slivka earned a second yellow.

Yet, a third straight victory for the new Hibernian manager was fashioned by his boldness in continuing to play with two strikers despite their man disadvantage, which paid off when Marc McNulty added to his spot-kick conversion after he produced a deft flick over the advancing keeper Cammy Bell subsequent to being slid in by a delightful through ball from substitute Stephane Omeonga.

A three points that gives them the same advantage over Tommy Wright’s side in the scramble for the final place in the top six, Heckingbottom has enjoyed one heck of a first three weeks in charge.

Ahead of last night’s Perth assignment, Daryl Horgan had spoken of a different “vibe” at Hibs since the 41-year-old’s arrival as manager.

Certainly, outcomes had shown a marked improvement with the Englishman presiding over back-to-back league wins at the Leith club for the first time in almost three months.

The upturn engendered a softly, softly approach from Heckingbottom, who named the same starting team for a third successive game.

However, for the former Barnsley manager, the familiarity of the line-up presaged a contemptible first-half display. Practically nothing was seen of the visitors in an attacking sense.

In a defensive one, all too much was witnessed of a wilting variety. The start gave no incline of how this contest was to end.

St Johnstone didn’t look like a team that hadn’t posted a win in their previous seven games. They did, however, look like a side that hadn’t lost to the Easter Road side in seven meetings.

The hex that they seem to hold over Hibs seemed then to be betrayed in the manner in which their brio left Heckingbottom’s men befuddled and bemused.

An early penalty shout for Wright’s side when Darren McGregor was forced into a steamroller penalty-box challenge on David Wotherspoon foretold St Johnstone’s drive to make things happen, and the desperate efforts that would have to be applied by Hibs to thwart them.

The discomfort of McGregor and Paul Hanlon as Wotherspoon and Matty Kennedy carved their way into dangerous areas soon enough brought punishment.

A 15th minute corner from Wotherspoon resulted in Jason Kerr heading towards goal. As luminous green shirts ran in all directions but the right ones as Ofir Marciano pulled off a save, the loose ball was bundled in by Chris Kane.

The home side remained entirely in control and late in the opening period a ferocious effort from Kennedy that followed a sweeping move seemed as if it would double St Johnstone’s advantage only for it to whizz pass the outside of Marciano’s right-hand post.

The interval did not bring any change to the pattern of the encounter, though Cammy Bell almost afforded Hibs and unlikely way back in when he dropped an up-and-under from Daryl Horgan two yards from his goal. Scott Tanser spared the keeper’s blushes with an alert clearance.

The alertness of Hibs and their manager remained questionable not least in the reaction to Slivka earning a yellow card for diving six minutes into the second period. He soon after was guilty of a clumsy challenge on Kane that referee Gavin Duncan turned a blind eye towards. So too, though, did Heckingbottom in turning to his bench and not relegating the Lithuanian to it; instead withdrawing Stevie Mallan for Omeonga.

Or so it seemed when Slivka’s luck ran out when he saw red for a trip on Tony Watt in the 67th minute.

It appeared to have put the mockers on a reversal of fortunes that had been rendered possible three minutes earlier when Liam Craig had a brain freeze to dump Florian Kamberi to the turf right on the byline as it looked like the striker was going nowhere with the ball except into touch. McNulty’s conversion was resounding and so was the travelling support’s appreciation for the on-loan Reading forward’s sublime finish to take his tally to six goals in the four games since he returned north. With Hibs, the late drama was another case of never ruling out the unexpected.

St Johnstone: Bell; Foster (Hendry 87), Kerr, Shaughnessy, Tanser; Kennedy (Swanson 82), Davidson, Craig, Wotherspoon (Alston 77); Kane, Watt. Subs not used: Hurst, Gordon, Goss, Callachan.

Hibs: Marciano; Gray, McGregor, Hanlon, Stevenson; Mallan (Omeonga 62), Milligan, Slivka, Horgan (Bartley 70); McNulty (Mackie 89), Kamberi. Subs not used: Dabrowski, Bigirimana, Shaw, Allan.