Managerless Hibs demolish Saints to record first away win

Managerless Hibs produced their best performance of the season to demolish St Johnstone and secure their first away victory of the season at McDiarmid Park this afternoon.

Interim Head Coach Eddie May who took over from Paul
Heckingbottom earlier in the week made five changes to the starting XI that
lost to Celtic last weekend in the Betfred Cup semi-final.

Jason Naismith, Ryan Porteous, Joe Newell, Vykintas Slivka
and Florian Kamberi all started the game and the travelling supporters were
delighted to see Hibs start with two up front.

May was joined in the dugout by Grant Murray and Steven
Whittaker whilst former Liverpool player Harry Kewell who has been linked with
the post watched the game from the stand.

Hibs opened the scoring in the second minute after Kamberi robbed
a Saints’ defender before calmly sliding the perfect pass into the path of
Christian Doidge. His initial effort was saved by Zander Clark but the striker
was on hand to tap in the rebound from close range.

Joe Newell almost made it 2-0 moments later but his curling
effort struck the post with Clark beaten.

Naismith was next to try his luck from long range after a
superb move involving Kamberi, Slivka and Scott Allan but syrike flew inches
over the bar.

Hibs doubled their advantage in the 17^th minute after
Kamberi crossed from the right and Doidge got in front of Wallace Duffy at the
near post to guide the ball into the net.

The hosts had a short spell of pressure without testing Chris
Maxwell then Doidge almost grabbed his hat trick but Naismith’s low cross
deflected off Scott Tanser causing him to miss the ball by inches with the goal
gaping.

Hibs stated the second period in style and wrapped up the
points in the 47^th minute when Allan intercepted a pass from Matt
Kennedy on the halfway line.

Allan ran 40 yards with the ball before firing a superb angled
left foot shot beyond Clark into the far corner of the net to the delight of
the fans behind the goal.

Kamberi almost made it 4-0 with a powerful strike which
Clark saved at the near post then in the 58th minute Doidge rose above the
Saints defence to head Naismith’s perfect cross past Clark and claim his first
hat-trick for the club.

Kamberi nearly  grabbed the goal his play deserved with a
curling effort which shaved the post.

Doidge was replaced by Martin Boyle and left the pitch to a
standing ovation from the delighted fans then moments later the Australian
international set up Joe Newell, whose shot flew just past the post.

Hibs continued to press forward and Allan hit the
side-netting from the edge of the area.

Stevie May scored a consolation goal for the Saints in the
last minute.

After the game May told BBC Scotland: “They played with
a freedom and style – and more importantly, with real quality. It’s not a case
of them playing for me, they were playing with professional pride.”

The result sees Hibs move up to eight in the table.

St Johnstone: Clark, Ralston, Tanser, Duffy, Kerr, Wright (Hendry
46), Wotherspoon (Holt 67), McCann, Davidson, Kennedy (O’Halloran 61),
May.  Substitutes not used: Parish,
Vihmann, Craig, Swanson.

Hibernian: Maxwell, Hanlon, Slivka, Doidge (Boyle 82),
Newell (Horgan 90), Stevenson, Naismith, Kamberi, Allan (Mallan 90), Hallberg,
Porteous. Substitutes not used: Marciano, Horgan, Mallan, James, Jackson, Shaw.

Referee: Andrew Dallas.

Attendance: 3931.