St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright paid tribute to the character of his players as the Perth side bounced back from a six-match run without a goal by defeating Hibs 2-1 at Easter Road.
Steven MacLean scored the winner for the visitors with the last kick of the match after Anthony Stokes’ injury-time penalty looked to have rescued a point for Hibs.
Saints had led through Murray Davidson’s 74th-minute header and they kept going until the bitter end to end their opponents’ four-match winning run.
Wright said: “When you go on the run we’ve been on some people start to doubt you. But I would never doubt these players. You can never write us off.
“When you score a 93rd-minute winner after conceding a penalty in the 90th minute it’s very satisfying.
“The range of emotions in those three minutes was incredible.
“And given the run we have been on you even think they might go on and sneak a second one.
“So for us to get the winner, it is sheer joy and elation.
“It was right they went and celebrated at the end. Hopefully that will go on and kick us on now.”
Hibs boss Neil Lennon said: “We were OK, we were not brilliant and you have to respect the opposition.
“We should have seen the game out and taken the draw and moved on. I don’t think we deserved to lose it, but I don’t think we deserved to win it either.
“I was pleased with the character we showed after we conceded.
“A point would have kept a decent run going. I just wanted us to get the point and you can come away saying, ‘Well, we haven’t played well, but we got a point and showed a bit of character’.
“To lose it in those circumstances – it’s crazy.”
