Hibs 1, St Johnstone 2: Saints steal the show from VAR as ten-man Hibs suffer third loss on the bounce

Second-half goals from Nicky Clark and Stevie May gave St Johnstone a somewhat unexpected victory over ten-man Hibs at Easter Road on the night VAR made its debut in the cinch Premiership.

Ukrainian forward Mykola Kukharevych had headed the hosts into the lead on 36 minutes but a red card for Kyle Magennis, making his first start in 13 months, turned the game on its head and consigned Lee Johnson’s side to a third consecutive defeat.

It had all started so well. Hibs gave the fixture the full works – pyrotechnics, pre-match entertainment, cheap tickets, the largest home support in more than three decades – but the party was spoiled by a Saints team who hadn’t read the script.

It looked for all the world like a routine night game but for the addition of the VAR screen next to the players’ tunnel and the frequent videos reminding supporters how the new technology was going to work – the first indication that things were going to be a bit different.

Chief executive Ben Kensell had teased a ‘memorable, special build-up’ ahead of the cinch Premiership fixture, with a violinist adding a neo-classical twist to Gala’s ‘Freed from Desire’ on the Easter Road turf just before kick-off.

Johnson made three alterations to his starting team after last weekend’s capitulation at Celtic Park and lined up with a back three for only the second time this season. Rocky Bushiri, Marijan Čabraja, and Magennis came in for Lewis Stevenson, Harry McKirdy, and Nohan Kenneh. Despite opening his account for the club at Celtic Park Élie Youan was again named among the replacements.

Hibs came flying out of the traps and twice threatened through Kukharevych in the early moments, with Boyle and Cadden setting up the Ukrainian forward. We didn’t have long to wait for our first taste of VAR either, referee Kevin Clancy cautioning Boyle for simulation in the penalty area with just eight minutes on the clock and double checking that he had got the call right.

The host continued to bombard the Saints’ goal without ever really testing Remi Matthews. Magennis wasn’t too far away with a speculative piledriver from distance just after the half-hour mark but as the visitors struggled to make an impression it looked increasingly likely that Hibs would draw first blood.

Dejection for the Hibs players as they suffer a 2-1 defeat at home

With 36 minutes on the clock, Adam Montgomery gave Cadden far too much time and space on the right flank, allowing the wingback to pick out Kukharevych who out-jumped Alex Mitchell to head Hibs in front. The striker wheeled away, the fans celebrated, and the players returned to the centre circle for kick-off. But Kevin Clancy cupped his hand to his ear once more and the big screens informed us the goal was being checked for a possible foul, believed to be in the build-up.

Jeering from the home supporters grew louder as the check dragged on but eventually the words ‘VAR – Decision Goal’ flashed up on the screen. While there has been plenty said about the drawbacks of the technology, one of the biggest gripes is the length of time taken to review decisions.

Not that Hibs minded, of course. They had finally got the goal their play deserved and as Johnson said in the lead-up to the game, so long as his team is on the right side of justice, there can be few complaints. Boyle nearly doubled Hibs’ advantage shortly before the break but Matthews got a strong hand to his effort and deflected the ball away from goal.

The second half started in much the same way as the first, Hibs dominating proceedings without really threatening while Callum Davidson had thrown on Stevie May for Adam Montgomery at the break. Hibs’ first real chance of the half fell to Boyle, Kukharevych starting the move in the middle of the park before spreading it wide where Josh Campbell and Čabraja combined well but the Australian internationalist, arriving at the near post, couldn’t direct his effort on target.

The tide began to turn when Magennis, cautioned earlier in the half, picked up a second yellow for a late challenge on former Hibee Jamie Murphy with 20 minutes remaining. The midfielder, making his first start in nearly 400 days, began the long walk to the dressing room. Things went from bad to worse for Johnson’s side as Saints drew level when Nicky Clark powered a header past David Marshall from a Melker Hallberg corner. It looked as though the veteran forward might have pushed Porteous to get to the ball but another VAR check gave the goal and the visitors were level.

Paul Hanlon then threw himself in the line of fire to prevent St Johnstone sneaking in front but there was something of an inevitability about what happened next. Connor McLennan sent a clever ball into the box and May got ahead of Porteous to nod the visitors in front. From looking relatively comfortable at 1-0 up with a full complement of players, Hibs were a goal down and at serious risk of losing their run of unbeaten home games.

Johnson went for broke and threw on Jair Tavares and Harry McKirdy for Čabraja and Cadden in a bid to rescue something from the game and it nearly had the desired impact. There was still time for more VAR-tinged controversy – a long ball forward in the dying moments picked out Tavares, who danced round Matthews with the ball breaking to Boyle. The forward was upended but Tavares was adjudged to be offside and the possibility of a dramatic late penalty for Hibs was rendered moot.

It’s possible that, without VAR, the penalty might have been given and Hibs might have extended their unbeaten run at Easter Road. Instead they are winless in three and will almost certainly end the weekend having been ousted from third in the table.