IT is one of the oldest clichés in the football manager’s handbook that it is difficult to play against 10 men, but for the second time in a week in the Premiership, there was shown to be more than a kernel of truth in that old chestnut.

Normally, the tired old phrase is trotted out by the losing gaffer as a means to excuse the team with the numerical advantage’s inability to break down their depleted opposition, but just as Brendan Rodgers received great credit for going on the offensive despite going down to 10 in the Old Firm derby, so too must due praise be directed at Hibernian manager Neil Lennon and his staff for responding to the early dismissal of their keeper Ofir Marciano to eek out a point on a mocket old night in Perth.

It looked so long as if they might hold on for all three, as they protected an early goal from Efe Ambrose of all people, but in the end, the late equaliser from St Johnstone forward Chris Kane meant that both sides came away from a contest low in quality but high in talking points with what they just about deserved.

The revitalised Scott Allan was the architect of the breakthrough goal just a couple of minutes in, as the midfielder skinned Chris Millar on the right before sending in a pinpoint cross onto the head of Ambrose, who had ambled forward into the area to plant the ball home from six yards.

He celebrated in front of the sizeable Hibs support with the customary somersaults, but it was the best laid plans of the visiting side that were soon upside down as Marciano literally handed the initiative back to St Johnstone.

A long ball from Millar found Chris Kane springing the offside trap, but the Israeli came rushing needlessly out of his area for a ball he was never getting to, and Kane’s effort into his midriff was instinctively handled by the keeper. A red card had to follow, and Hibs were forced into withdrawing striker Jamie McLaren to allow Cammy Bell to make his debut in goal.

There was a scramble from the resultant free-kick in the area that Hibs just about weathered, but the away side continued to attack when they could, leaving Allan in touch with Florian Kamberi. The gamble almost immediately paid off as Allan drilled a low shot across goal that Kamberi just failed to tap home.

St Johnstone had struggled to make the most of their numerical advantage, but they had reason to curse their wastefulness as Murray Davidson crashed a header over from Liam Craig’s corner, which signalled a sustained period of pressure for the home side.

They came closer just before the break, and would have been level had it not been for a brilliant intervention by replacement keeper Bell. A cross from Scott Tanser found its way to the back post, where Joe Shaughnessy was arriving to side-foot towards goal from point-blank range, but Bell did brilliantly to throw himself to his left and palm away the netbound effort.

They blew a golden opportunity moments later as Brian Easton broke in behind on the left and laid it on a plate for Kane in the centre of the box, but the forward made a hash of his first touch and Bell got down bravely to smother.

Hibs were penned in, and were glad of the respite of the half-time whistle, but the home side sprang onto the front foot immediately from the restart, and Kane was unlucky to see a long-range effort flash past the wrong side of the upright.

Saints were applying the pressure, but Hibs were still looking dangerous on the break, and their manager Lennon was probably lucky he was already in the stand as he reacted with rather justifiable fury as Blair Alston escaped with a yellow card for the most cynical of fouls on McGinn as he broke through midfield.

McGinn received his own caution for a trip on David Wotherspoon that was almost, but not quite as crude, but the now bitty nature of the contest suited Hibs as Saints struggled to find their rhythm.

When they did get their chances, they continued to waste them, with substitute George Williams the latest culprit as he weaved his way into a great position in the area only to fire well over the bar.

They finally got the breakthrough the home fans thought would never come seven minutes from the end as sheer weight of numbers in the Hibs area paid off. Williams fed the ball into Denny Johnstone who flicked the ball to Kane – who had had a horrendous night in front of goal to that point – and he stabbed the ball into the corner from eight yards.

There was almost an even bitterer pill for Hibs to swallow as Tanser rattled a free-kick off the bar in stoppage time, but it would have been harsh on the depleted Hibees had they left empty-handed.

SCORERS

ST JOHNSTONE: Kane (83’)

HIBERNIAN: Ambrose (2’)

SENT OFF:

HIBERNIAN: Marciano (13’)