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Nicky Clark equalised for St Johnstone three minutes after Hibs were reduced to 10 playersSt Johnstone came from behind to beat Hibernian at Easter Road as VAR enjoyed a controversy-free introduction to the Scottish Premiership.
Third-placed Hibs led through Mykola Kukharevych's 35th-minute header, but the game turned on a red card for home midfielder Kyle Magennis with 22 minutes remaining.
Nicky Clark rose to head the equaliser for St Johnstone within three minutes of Magennis' departure and half-time substitute Stevie May nodded the winner.
The victory moves St Johnstone four points clear of the three teams tied at the bottom, while Hibs remain a point above Aberdeen and St Mirren but now having played two more games.
Hibs, perhaps inspired by their first capacity crowd in 33 years in this landmark fixture for Scottish football, started off briskly as they looked to respond to last weekend's 6-1 drubbing by Celtic.
St Johnstone were exposed at the near post twice within a matter of seconds as Andrew Considine blocked from Martin Boyle and on-loan Troyes striker Kukharevych should have done better than fire straight at goalkeeper Remi Matthews from 10 yards.
It only took eight minutes for VAR to come into play as a quick check by Willie Collum back at Clydesdale House ratified referee Kevin Clancy's decision to show Boyle a yellow card for simulation following Alex Mitchell's challenge.
St Johnstone weathered that early pressure, but just as they were limiting Hibs to long-range efforts, Kukharevych rose above Liam Gordon to head powerfully into the net from 12 yards from a Chris Cadden cross.
The half-time introduction of May gave St Johnstone more zip on the break, but Hibs remained the more dangerous until Magennis spoiled an otherwise impressive first start since August 2021 following injury when he lunged into a challenge on Jamie Murphy to pick up a second yellow card.
Down to 10 men, Hibs soon conceded when Clark rose above to Ryan Porteous and - despite the hint of a shove on the back of the home centre-back - the goal was to stand.
Porteous was beaten again soon after when May met a cross to the back post from former Hibs midfielder Melker Hallberg.
There was still time for more VAR work as Jair Tavares and Boyle both went down inside the box, but officials were spared a decision over whether to award a penalty when the former was ruled offside.
More to follow.
Line-ups
Hibernian
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Marshall
- 5Porteous
- 33Bushiri
- 4Hanlon
- 12CaddenSubstituted forVieira Tavaresat 85'minutes
- 32CampbellBooked at 68mins
- 11Newell
- 7MagennisBooked at 70mins
- 3CabrajaSubstituted forMcKirdyat 85'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 77BoyleBooked at 8mins
- 99KukharevychBooked at 31minsSubstituted forYouanat 63'minutes
Substitutes
- 6Kenneh
- 10Vieira Tavares
- 13Schofield
- 16Stevenson
- 18Henderson
- 19Mitchell
- 22McKirdy
- 23Youan
- 25Fish
St Johnstone
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1Matthews
- 5MitchellSubstituted forMurphyat 63'minutes
- 6Gordon
- 4Considine
- 2BrownBooked at 45minsSubstituted forGallacherat 90'minutes
- 22Hallberg
- 13McGowan
- 19MontgomerySubstituted forMayat 45'minutes
- 14WrightSubstituted forWotherspoonat 64'minutes
- 26McLennanSubstituted forCrawfordat 90'minutes
- 37Clark
Substitutes
- 3Gallacher
- 7May
- 10Wotherspoon
- 12Parish
- 17Bair
- 21Crawford
- 27Kucheriavyi
- 29Murphy
- 34Phillips
Referee:Kevin Clancy
Attendance:20,010
Live Text
Match ends, Hibernian 1, St. Johnstone 2.
Second Half ends, Hibernian 1, St. Johnstone 2.
Harry McKirdy (Hibernian) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Harry McKirdy (Hibernian).
Alister Crawford (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Martin Boyle (Hibernian) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Substitution, St. Johnstone. Alister Crawford replaces Connor McLennan.
Substitution, St. Johnstone. Tony Gallacher replaces James Brown because of an injury.
Offside, Hibernian. Josh Campbell tries a through ball, but Jair Tavares is caught offside.
Foul by Élie Youan (Hibernian).
Ryan McGowan (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Hibernian. Harry McKirdy replaces Marijan Cabraja.
Substitution, Hibernian. Jair Tavares replaces Chris Cadden.
Rocky Bushiri (Hibernian) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Stevie May (St. Johnstone).
Goal! Hibernian 1, St. Johnstone 2. Stevie May (St. Johnstone) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Connor McLennan with a cross.
Attempt blocked. Nicky Clark (St. Johnstone) right footed shot from very close range is blocked.
Attempt saved. Stevie May (St. Johnstone) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jamie Murphy.
Goal! Hibernian 1, St. Johnstone 1. Nicky Clark (St. Johnstone) header from the centre of the box to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Melker Hallberg with a cross following a corner.
Corner, St. Johnstone. Conceded by Ryan Porteous.
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Hibernian
Squad number1Player nameMarshall
Squad number5Player namePorteous
Squad number33Player nameBushiri
Squad number4Player nameHanlon
Squad number12Player nameCadden
Squad number32Player nameCampbell
Squad number11Player nameNewell
Squad number7Player nameMagennis
Squad number3Player nameCabraja
Squad number77Player nameBoyle
Squad number99Player nameKukharevych
Squad number10Player nameJair Tavares
Squad number22Player nameMcKirdy
Squad number23Player nameYouan
St Johnstone
Squad number1Player nameMatthews
Squad number5Player nameMitchell
Squad number6Player nameGordon
Squad number4Player nameConsidine
Squad number2Player nameBrown
Squad number22Player nameHallberg
Squad number13Player nameMcGowan
Squad number19Player nameMontgomery
Squad number14Player nameWright
Squad number26Player nameMcLennan
Squad number37Player nameClark
Squad number3Player nameGallacher
Squad number7Player nameMay
Squad number10Player nameWotherspoon
Squad number21Player nameCrawford
Squad number29Player nameMurphy
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