Three things we learned from St Johnstone 1

Marc McNulty has now scored six goals in his last four appearances for Hibs. Pic: SNS

Sparky is on fire

The on-loan Reading striker couldn’t have really hoped for a better start to his spell in a green-and-white jersey. His double against Saints followed up the brace he notched in the 4-2 win at Dundee last Friday. It wasn’t his most eye-catching performance at McDiarmid Park but a player of his instinct is there to finish the opportunities when they arise. McNulty is producing the goods and is doing exactly what he was brought in to do. Six goals in four starts since arriving last month, the question now is how many can McNulty go on to score before the season is out and, just where can his goals take Hibs?

Silly Vyki

Having been booked for simulation with the second half barely a couple of minutes old, the Lithuanian then proceeded to trip Chris Kane just moments later after the Saints striker had made his way across the halfway line. Time was finally up for the 23-year-old when another naive tackle on Kane left referee Gavin Duncan with little choice but to brandish the player with a red card. With more than 20 minutes left to play, it looked as if Hibs would have to fight tooth and nail just to earn themselves a point. There will have been no one more relieved in the visitors’ dressing room than Slivka that his team-mates dug deep to nick the points.

Rule the roost

Three consecutive Premiership victories for the Easter Road side has far from secured a place in this season’s top six. With St Johnstone and Motherwell just a couple of points further back, three and five points respectively, there are sure to be some twists and turns before the league splits in two in April. However, the Hibees seem to have found some momentum just at the right time and will be looking up rather than what's over their shoulder. Hearts are now Paul Heckingbottom’s men’s next target in fifth The Gorgie side’s victory in Leith in December opened up a seven-point gap on their rivals when it then seemed inevitable that the Jambos would go on to rule the Capital this season. Three points is now all that separates Edinburgh’s top two.

Three things we learned from St Johnstone 1 - 2 Hibs