Josh Fowler scored twice before half-time as St Johnstone defeated Hibernian 2-1 at McDiarmid Park, delivering a second successive Scottish Premiership victory and intensifying scrutiny of Hibs head coach David Gray.
Nathan Lowe briefly gave the visitors a route back into the match, but Fowler's second goal from the penalty spot restored the home side's lead before the break. Hibs improved substantially late on without finding the equaliser, leaving St Johnstone to see out a result that moved them above their opponents.
Fowler seized the moments that mattered
The decisive theme was St Johnstone's ability to convert Hibs errors into goals. Fowler's opener came after Taylor Steven's cross took a deflection, with the forward afforded too much room in the area. Hibs had an immediate route back when Reece McAlear misplaced a pass and Miguel Chaiwa sent Lowe through to score, but the visitors could not use that equaliser as a platform.
Instead, St Johnstone reclaimed control. Martin Boyle's challenge on Enes Alic in the box brought the penalty from which Fowler put the hosts back ahead. It was a composed finish and, more importantly, a response to the only significant self-inflicted setback in an otherwise authoritative first half.
Reports agree that Fowler could have put the contest beyond doubt soon after the interval. He failed to take a clear headed opportunity and then sent another effort just wide. Those misses gave Hibs hope, but they also underline how consistently St Johnstone were able to create danger when the visitors stretched themselves in pursuit of a level score.
For a player reported to have joined from Queen's Park in January, the double represented a timely step forward. Fowler had apparently earned this start after scoring late against Dundee in midweek. His display was not solely about finishing: he gave St Johnstone a reliable focal point and made the most of the service delivered from wider positions.
Hibs' reaction arrived too late
Gray had demanded a response after the Edinburgh derby defeat three days earlier, but the first-half showing fell notably short. His assessment after the game focused on a lack of accountability and intensity throughout the team, rather than isolating one individual mistake. That diagnosis fits the sequence of the match: Hibs recovered from conceding first, only to concede again after failing to establish any durable control.
Boyle was withdrawn at half-time following the penalty incident, with Ante Suto introduced. The change brought some improvement, and Jamie McGrath forced a save shortly afterwards. Yet St Johnstone remained a threat, particularly as Hibs' defensive resources became depleted. Grant Hanley went off injured, while Jordan Obita was already unavailable and Jack Iredale suspended.
The visitors did not produce sustained attacking pressure until a triple change around the hour mark. Suto then missed a chance from Jason Kerr's header, while Kanayo Megwa saw a header kept out. Those openings show that Hibs had enough late territory to make the result uncomfortable, but their earlier passivity meant every missed opportunity carried greater consequence.
There is a wider concern for Gray in the contrast between Hibs' late urgency and their earlier performance. A side capable of troubling St Johnstone once it committed bodies forward must find a way to show greater conviction before it has a deficit to chase. The crowd's discontent at full-time reflected not simply a second defeat in a short period, but the sense that the anticipated derby response had not materialised.
Valakari's structure held firm
St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari has maintained the possession-based approach that helped the club win promotion last season. At McDiarmid Park, the value of that commitment was evident in the periods after both goals. Rather than retreating immediately, the home side continued to move the ball patiently and used their full-backs and wide players to expose Hibs' uncertain defensive positioning.
That approach did have one costly flaw when McAlear's loose pass led directly to Lowe's goal. But St Johnstone did not abandon their plan after the mistake. Their response was measured, and the regained lead allowed them to manage the second half with more discipline.
Zach Mitchell's defending was particularly important once Hibs began to force play into the box. Alic also had influence at both ends, winning the penalty and helping limit Suto's late chance. The hosts did not need spectacular football in the closing stages; they needed organisation, clearances and enough control to prevent Hibs turning pressure into a decisive chance.
The result offers St Johnstone more than a productive afternoon from Fowler. It suggests their promoted squad can impose its preferred game against established Premiership opposition, even when faced with a late spell of pressure. For Hibs, the immediate issue is less about the narrow margin of defeat than the familiar cost of allowing the match to drift before their strongest response arrived.