Frustrated Nick Montgomery admitted supporter anger was understandable after Hibernian’s hopes of finishing in the top six suffered a damaging blow.

Hibs were jeered off after a surprise 2-1 defeat at home to relegation-threatened St Johnstone in which Tony Gallacher scored a late winner after Chris Cadden had cancelled out Adama Sidibeh’s opener for the Perth side.

The result did not quite kill off Hibs’ faltering top-six bid because sixth-placed Dundee suffered a 3-2 loss at home to Motherwell.

However, the Dark Blues, who remain a point ahead of the Edinburgh side, now have two bites at the cherry, against Rangers and Aberdeen, to get the points they need to finish above Hibs, who have one pre-split fixture left, away to Motherwell next Saturday.

Saturday’s results mean there is also now a scenario where the Fir Park side could pip both Hibs and Dundee to the last remaining top-six spot if they defeat Montgomery’s side in Lanarkshire.

“It was a game we knew we needed to win,” said the rueful Hibs boss. “We expected three points and everybody expected three points but that’s football, it’s a cruel game.

“We had 72 per cent possession and we lose to a team that had two shots on target.

“We have to accept that’s not good enough, two lapses of concentration in a game where you need maximum concentration.

“I can understand the frustrations. I’m frustrated, the players are frustrated – it’s a game without doubt we should have won. We have to be better in both boxes and that’s what let us down today.

“I’m frustrated for the fans because if we had won today then we would have put big pressure on the teams above us and it would have been more comfortable going into the last game.

“We have to keep going and hope results will go for us.”

The win took Saints five points clear of second-bottom Ross County in the battle to avoid the relegation play-off spot.

Manager Craig Levein was delighted to see his team dig out the result he felt they merited after an encouraging display in their 2-1 loss at home to Dundee in their previous match.

“We had a huge feeling of frustration after last week’s performance that we didn’t manage to get at least a point, maybe all three points, but we more than made up for that today with a similar performance,” said the Saints boss.

“We have been a little bit up and down but that’s us put two really good performances together in a row. We are creating chances and we are solid defensively which is not a bad combination.

“This one was big because of the points, but last week was the foundation for today.”

Tony Docherty lavished praised the “bravery” of his Dundee players as they moved into the top six but he refused to get carried away after the 2-1 win over St Johnstone.

Amadou Bakayoko fired home a late winner for the visitors after Adama Sidibeh had equalised following Lyall Cameron’s breathtaking opener.

Docherty has repeatedly targeted securing 10 league wins on Dundee’s return to the top flight and that was achieved as the Dark Blues moved one point ahead of Hibs into sixth place.

Whilst accepting the magnitude of the victory, Docherty pointed to the teams below Dundee in the table, rather than those ahead, with three more games remaining for his side until the split.

“It was a massive win,” Docherty admitted. “More importantly, I couldn’t be more proud of the players.

“Over the season you look at games and we’ve had a 4-0 and 4-1 but that today is a different type of win and a display of mentality, resilience and togetherness.

“It shows how much we’re developing as a team. There was an accusation earlier in the season that when we dominate we don’t win. To grind that out and win and be brave and make a tactical change to win it, the players took that on board and their bravery merited the three points.

“We’re 12 ahead of Ross County, 11 ahead of St Johnstone. Our big objective was to get 10 wins on the board. To get 10 as a newly-promoted team with eight games left is a huge testament to the players. It’s a box ticked but we’ll keep going. We won’t get carried away.”

Meanwhile, Craig Levein was left frustrated by two refereeing decisions as his St Johnstone side were denied a late equaliser.

Ryan McGowan had the ball in the net but referee Iain Sneddon stood by his initial decision that the St Johnstone defender had fouled Aaron Donnelly in the build-up when asked to review the incident on the pitchside monitor by VAR official Greg Aitken.

Levein conceded he hadn’t reviewed the incident but was surprised that ref Sneddon didn’t reverse his decision and he felt St Johnstone should have had a penalty for a foul on Sidibeh by Dundee goalkeeper Jon McCracken.

“I haven’t had enough time to look properly,” Levein conceded. “It was one of those days for us. I don’t know what to say.

“Most times when the ref comes to look at the screen there’s an alteration in the result. I’ll have more chances to look later on.

“I don’t like going to ask (the referee) because I’ll say something I’ll regret. In the first half we should have had a pen I thought.

“Their goalie brought down Adama but for it not to be looked at puzzles me. The goalie took the ball. They protect themselves by raising their knees but he pushed his knee out to the right and caught Adama on the thigh and they haven’t looked at it. That I’d like an answer to.”

Amadou Bakayoko fired Dundee into the top six in the Scottish Premiership with a late winner against St Johnstone in Perth.

A scrappy encounter was illuminated by two sublime goals from either side courtesy of Lyall Cameron and Adama Sidibeh to leave the game delicately poised at 1-1 entering the final 10 minutes but Bakayoko tapped in from four yards in front of the ecstatic travelling contingent.

There was late drama as St Johnstone correctly had a goal ruled out after a long VAR check but it was a massive win for Tony Docherty’s men as they moved one point ahead of Hibs into sixth place after the Edinburgh side lost to Rangers at Ibrox.

St Johnstone will be frustrated as it was a relatively even encounter and the Saints remain in danger of the relegation play-off place as they stayed just one point ahead of 11th-placed Ross County.

Dundee enjoyed the better of the opening stages and they broke the deadlock in stunning fashion through Cameron – the best player on the pitch.

Dimitar Mitov raced out of his box to beat Scott Tiffoney to a long ball but, with the visitors screaming for a handball from the St Johnstone goalkeeper, Cameron remained alert to drill a brilliant effort into the empty net from 40 yards out with Mitov stranded.

It turned into a scrappy encounter as the first half progressed but St Johnstone spurned a great chance to equalise on 25 minutes. Tony Gallacher won the foot race onto a long ball but he was unable to lift the ball over the advancing Jon McCracken, who tipped it over the bar.

After the resulting corner was partially cleared, Dundee goalkeeper McCracken made another impressive stop to tip David Keltjens’ long-range effort around the post.

Saints were applying pressure on the Dundee backline in the second half and they were rewarded for their endeavours when Sidibeh equalised on the hour mark with a sensational acrobatic finish.

Matt Smith’s cross from the right was deflected and looped up with Sidibeh adjusting his body before perfectly executing a bicycle kick as the ball flew past McCracken.

It was end to end as the game opened up in the final 15 minutes and Dundee capitalised to seal victory on 80 minutes. The impressive Luke McCowan found space in the box and his drilled ball across goal was prodded home from close range by a stretching Bakayoko.

St Johnstone pressed for a late equaliser and, after Stevie May struck the post with a powerful strike, Ryan McGowan had the ball in the net.

Referee Iain Sneddon, however, blew his whistle as Dundee keeper McCracken had two hands on the ball and McGowan also appeared to push Aaron Donnelly.

The referee was asked to review the incident on the pitch-side monitor but he stuck by his original decision as Dundee secured a vital three points.

St Johnstone denied Livingston a crucial win at McDiarmid Park as Nicky Clark’s late goal snatched them a 1-1 draw in a game littered with stoppages.

It looked as if the visitors were set to emerge victorious following Andrew Shinnie’s first-half opener, but Clark glanced home with three minutes left to give Saints a share of the spoils.

There was 20 minutes of stoppage time across the course of the match, with injuries preventing the game from having any sort of rhythm.

The hosts moved ahead of Aberdeen and up to ninth in the table, while the Lions remain bottom, though they have cut the gap between themselves and Ross County to six points.

Adama Sidibeh made a welcome return to the St Johnstone bench following a spell in hospital after collapsing on the pitch at the end of the 2-0 defeat to St Mirren a week ago.

There was little in the way of goalmouth action in a scrappy opening to proceedings and it took until the 25th minute for the first chance.

A loose pass from Dan Phillips was seized upon by Dan MacKay, but the Saints defence recovered just as the winger looked to get his shot away.

The visitors went close when Shinnie’s header from Sean Kelly’s free-kick dropped narrowly wide of the target.

Livingston were rewarded for their pressure when they broke the deadlock eight minutes before half-time.

Kelly’s corner was glanced on by Michael Devlin and Shinnie was on hand to brilliantly hook the ball beyond goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov from six yards.

Given the stop-start nature of the opening 45 minutes, it was little surprise when the fourth official indicated there would be eight minutes of added time – and that pattern was to continue as Diallang Jaiyesimi limped off to be replaced by Graham Carey.

St Johnstone finally mustered their first attempt on target in the final minute of stoppage time. Matt Smith picked out Clark who nodded weakly into the grateful arms of Shamal George when he really should have found the net.

It was Livi who began the second half the brighter, with Mitov twice called into action in the early stages.

The Bulgarian pulled off a brilliant stop to keep out MacKay’s swerving effort before diving low to grasp Cristian Montano’s shot.

David Keltjens’ cross narrowly evaded Stevie May as Saints chased a way back into the match, but their momentum continued to be interrupted by stoppages.

Kurtis Guthrie passed up a glorious opportunity to put the game out of reach of their hosts when he picked the pocket of Andy Considine and then raced clear on goal, only to then drag his angled drive past a post.

It was a moment the visitors would come to rue as Clark came up with a late leveller – nodding home Carey’s pinpoint delivery.

A further 10 minutes of time added on at the end of the second half presented both sides with an opportunity to claim victory, but Guthrie was hesitant at a crucial moment before laying the ball to Jason Holt who blazed over.