Hibernian made it 15 unbeaten Premiership matches in a row and stored themselves on track for third place with a cushty 3-0 win at residence to backside aspect St Johnstone.
A pleasant opener from Junior Hoilett and a fifteenth home aim of the season for Martin Boyle had the hosts coasting by the half-hour mark earlier than substitute Kieron Bowie sealed the victory with a stoppage-time penalty.
Hibs – backside of the desk as not too long ago as mid-December – stay some extent away from fourth-placed Aberdeen of their quest to safe European group-stage soccer subsequent season, whereas Saints, who had been unable to muster a notable scoring likelihood all day, are left with simply seven video games to salvage their top-flight standing.
Hibees boss David Grey made one change to the aspect that began the 1-1 draw at Kilmarnock a fortnight beforehand as Mykola Kuharevich changed Bowie up entrance.
Saints, who arrived in Edinburgh buoyed by a run of six wins and two attracts from their earlier 10 matches, additionally freshened up their assault as Victor Griffith and Jonathan Svedberg got here in for Adama Sidibeh and Stephen Duke-McKenna.
Hibs made the breakthrough within the 18th minute, seconds after Boyle had gone clear by and been denied by Andy Fisher.
Jordan Obita fed Hoilett on the left and the Canada worldwide reduce inside and curled an beautiful end excessive past Fisher and into the far nook of the web.
Saints provided little within the first half, with their solely threatening second earlier than the break proving to be a harmful Jason Holt cross from the precise that was diverted behind by Rocky Bushiri within the twenty fifth minute.
Hibs doubled their lead within the twenty ninth minute. Kuharevich volleyed the ball excessive and extensive from shut vary and because the guests tried to play out from the ensuing aim kick, Hoilett slid in to dispossess captain Sven Sprangler.
The ball broke to stand-in captain Boyle, who drove into the field, outfoxed Barry Douglas and slotted a low, angled end into the nook from 15 yards out.
Saints boss Simo Valakari was clearly pissed off together with his group’s first-half show and made three modifications for the beginning of the second half as Benjamin Kimpioka, Duke-McKenna and Taylor Steven changed Drey Wright, Makenzie Kirk and Sam Curtis.
The substitutions did little to change the stream, nevertheless, with the Edinburgh aspect remaining in management. Fisher made three good saves to disclaim Kuharevich and Bowie twice.
However the Saints goalkeeper discovered himself choosing the ball out of his web in just about the final second of the match when Bowie beat him from the penalty spot after the striker was fouled by Daniels Balodis.
What the managers stated…
Hibernian supervisor David Grey: “It was a complete performance.
“All people absolutely deserved that clear sheet.
“Smudge (Jordan Smith) didn’t even have a save to make, so it shows how good we were without the ball.”
St Johnstone boss Simo Valakari: “We didn’t play well enough to get anything out of the match.
“We performed towards superb opponents they usually performed properly.
“But at the same time, we need to own this performance, learn from it quickly and move on.”
