Josh Fowler delivered a decisive first‑half brace that saw St Johnstone edge Hibernian 2-1 and climb above their rivals in the Scottish Premiership standings. The Perth side took the lead early when Fowler capitalised on a close‑range opportunity in the 16th minute, and later added a penalty after Nathan Lowe had levelled for the visitors, securing the Saints' second league victory of the season. Although Hibs dominated large portions of the second half, Simo Valakari's men held firm to preserve the win and move into seventh place on the table.
Fowler, who had come off the bench to score a late equaliser in the midweek clash at Dundee, proved his worth by earning a place in the starting eleven and making the most of it. The opening goal came almost immediately after kickoff. Hibernian eased off Jason Holt, allowing the Perth captain to slip into the 18‑yard area and receive a low cross from Taylor Steven.
The ball glanced off the heel of Adam Mayor and fell to Fowler at the back post, where he adjusted his body and tucked a right‑footed finish past goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger. Just thirteen minutes later, a sloppy pass from Reece McAlear in the centre of the park gifted Miguel Chaiwa the ball, who released Nathan Lowe on a sprint. The on‑loan Stoke forward took a composed low shot that squeezed between Toby Steward and the right‑hand post, restoring parity for Hibs at the 29th minute.
St Johnstone responded swiftly, shrugging off the setback and reclaiming the lead four minutes before the interval. Bosnian full‑back Enes Alic drove into the box and was nudged over by Martin Boyle, setting up Fowler for his fourth Premiership goal of the campaign. He struck the ball into the bottom right corner, forcing Sallinger the wrong way and sending the home crowd into a brief celebration.
The second half saw Fowler come close to completing a hat‑trick on two occasions before he was substituted in the 72nd minute. Nevertheless, Hibernian spent long spells pressing for an equaliser. 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 adjusted his tactics, bringing on Matty Todd and reorganising the defence into a back five to weather the Hibs onslaught. Despite a few frantic defensive moments, the Saints remained resilient. Hibernian’s substitute Thibault Klidje created a good chance that was thwarted by his own teammate Ante Suto, while Alic forced another fine save from Sallinger as the Saints looked dangerous on the break. In the end, the disciplined performance of Valakari’s side was enough to see out the victory, condemning Hibernian to consecutive defeats.
After the match, St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari praised the win, saying, "It was a good win and an important win. I think we did everything 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 showed the other side of our game – that grittiness and readiness to put our bodies on the line and block shots.
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 it.
Strikers live for goals and when you score them you get so much confidence." Hibernian boss David Gray reflected on the disappointment, noting, "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 are tough to take, and understandably criticism will be there." The match also featured a reminder for fans to use Chrome for a more accessible video player, and a promotional note about the Super 6 competition, offering a chance to win £1 million for free. The victory not only gave St Johnstone three points but also provided a morale boost, highlighting Fowler's growing reputation as a reliable goal‑scorer in the Scottish top flight.