Josh Fowler delivered a decisive first‑half brace that propelled St Johnstone to a 2-1 triumph over Hibernian, lifting them above their rivals in the league standings. The Perth side took the lead early when Fowler struck from close range after just 16 minutes, and he later converted a penalty to restore the lead after Nathan Lowe had temporarily equalised for the visitors, securing the Saints' second win of the season. Although Hibernian dominated large portions of the second half, Simo Valakari's men held firm to claim a 2-1 success and climb into seventh place.
Fowler, who had come off the bench to score a late equaliser in the midweek match at Dundee, fully justified his reinstatement to the starting eleven. The opening goal came almost immediately after kickoff. Hibs eased off Jason Holt, allowing the Perth captain to make a run into the 18‑yard box and lay the ball off to Taylor Steven.
Steven’s low cross glanced off the heel of Adam Mayor and fell perfectly to Fowler at the back post. The striker adjusted to the deflection and calmly slotted a right‑footed finish past goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger. Hibernian responded 13 minutes later when a careless pass from Reece McAlear in midfield was intercepted by Miguel Chaiwa, who released Nathan Lowe on a swift break.
The on‑loan Stoke forward placed a low, driven shot between Toby Steward and the right‑hand post, leveling the score at 1-1. St Johnstone shrugged off the setback and, just four minutes before the interval, reclaimed the lead. Bosnian full‑back Enes Alic surged into the penalty area and was nudged over by Martin Boyle, earning a penalty. Fowler stepped up and calmly sent his fourth Premiership goal of the campaign into the bottom right corner, sending Sallinger the wrong way and restoring the Saints' advantage.
The second half saw Fowler come close to completing a hat‑trick on two occasions before he was substituted in the 72nd minute. Hibs, however, threatened to overturn the result for extended periods. Substitute Kanayo Megwa, who replaced the injured Grant Hanley, met a corner with a powerful header at the back post, only to be denied by a spectacular one‑handed save from Toby Steward.
Valakari responded by bringing on Matty Todd and reshaping the defence into a back five to weather the Hibs onslaught. Despite a few frantic defensive moments, the Saints managed to keep the lead. Hibs' substitute Thibault Klidje generated a promising chance, but his effort was thwarted by an intervening defender, Ante Suto. Alic continued to test Sallinger, forcing a fine save as St Johnstone looked dangerous on the break.
In the end, Valakari's side held out, sealing the victory and consigning Hibernian to consecutive defeats. Post‑match, St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari praised the performance: "It was a good win and an important win. I think we did everything right across the 90 minutes. In the first half we played some excellent football, progressing our passes and were very solid.
In the second half we had to show the other side of our game – this grittiness and readiness to put our bodies on the line and block shots. And Toby had to make a couple of big saves.
Josh is showing that he can score goals at this level. I have never doubted that – and Josh himself never doubted that.
Of course, strikers live for goals and when you score them you get so much confidence." Hibernian boss David Gray reflected on the defeat: "The biggest thing for me is the manner in which the first half went for us – again. It was summed up in the way we conceded the two goals.
A lack of desire to stop somebody advancing past you, gambling in the box, guessing in the box. Then a needless penalty that we gave away. They were poor goals.
But the players went to the end and we created a few chances. I certainly can't sit here and say we deserved to win the game. Back‑to‑back defeats is tough to take. And, understandably so, criticism will be there." The win not only provided three points but also boosted morale for a side that had struggled early in the campaign.
Fowler's brace highlighted his growing importance to Valakari's attacking plans, while the defensive resilience shown by Steward and the back line offered a blueprint for future matches. As the Scottish Premiership progresses, St Johnstone will look to build on this performance, aiming to climb higher in the table and secure a stable mid‑table position, while Hibernian must regroup quickly to avoid slipping further down the standings.