A textbook second-half showing at Tynecastle from St Johnstone helped pile on the misery for relegation-haunted Hearts, and it was perhaps ironic a former Hibee was among the stars of the show.
Saints’ killer instinct kicked in at the start of the second half as a goal from Stevie May doubled the advantage given to them by Nigel Hasselbaink in the first period, and then the Perth club relied upon some resolute defending to record a third straight clean sheet and all three points.
They say that football is all about what happens in both boxes and that was never truer than down Gorgie way on Saturday, although the Saints midfield also played their part in a convincing all-round performance.
David Wotherspoon found himself on the losing side more often than not when he visited Tynecastle with derby rivals Hibs, so the sound of the deflated Hearts fans booing him as he was substituted near the end must have been music to his ears.
“I think I’ve only won once here, so it was a good feeling,” the midfielder said. “Every time I went to take a corner the Hearts fans were giving me stick because I used to play for Hibs but I just shrug it off.
“They were just saying I was a Hibs reject and something along those lines, but that’s all part of football and I was expecting that when I came here.
“I actually thought it was going to be worse. It was a good performance from us and we took a lot of confidence from Wednesday night.”
Hasselbaink’s goal justified boss Tommy Wright’s continued faith in the forward.
“Nigel now has three in four, and he’s disappointed he didn’t score on Wednesday because he didn’t think he scored three games in a row,” Wright said.
“But it’s a nice wee partnership and Nigel is a handful when you get the ball into his feet in that last third.
“Defenders are wary of him, he’s got good feet and he’s got good body strength as well.
“They are maybe slightly different than the partnership of Stevie May and Steven MacLean, but it’s a partnership that has blossomed over the last couple of games.”