St Johnstone v Hibernian Betting Top Draw – 27 February 2019

Share of the spoils likely in Perth

Scottish Premiership Betting Tips

ScotlandSt Johnstone v HibernianScotland
Wednesday 27th February 1945rs 
Football – Scotland – Premiership
Pick Draw
Bookmaker Sportingbet
Odds: 12/5 (odds taken 17.30 GMT, Tuesday 26th February)

It’s been a successful start for Hibernian’s new boss Paul Heckingbottom and he will be looking to make it three wins in a row as he takes his team to Perth to face St Johnstone on Wednesday night.

Scottish Premiership Betting at Sportingbet

St Johnstone Preview

It’s not been an easy run of fixtures for St Johnstone but there’s till no getting away from how disappointing 2019 has been for Tommy Wright and his players so far. Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at home to Aberdeen was their seventh game without a win in all competitions and their only win in the league this calendar year came over a month ago in a 1-0 win at home to St Johnstone. Since then they have faced Celtic three times, Hearts, Rangers (whom they drew with away from home) and the Dons most recently. They’re as tough as it gets in the Scottish league so there are some mitigating factors in their winless run. The only frustration that Wright will have felt during that time was the 2-1 loss away to lowly Hamilton and he’ll be pragmatic enough not to panic just yet. The Saints aim for between now and the split in just over a month’s time is to be in the top six, a position they have dropped out of for the first time in a number of months after the weekend’s result. The team to displace them is their midweek opponents so it’s clearly a big game for St Johnstone and will make their desire to end this poor run they’ve been on, even greater.

 

Key-Facts – St Johnstone v Hibernian

  • These teams are separated only be goal difference and both challenging for the top six
  • Three of the last five meetings between St Johnstone and Hibernian have ended in draws
  • Hibs have not beaten St Johnstone in a league game since 2013

 

Hibernian Preview

Having endured something of a chaotic period on the back of Neil Lennon’s departure from the club, Hibs look to be back on an upwards curve just at the right stage of the season for them. Heckingbottom was eventually chosen to replace Lennon and the former Barnsley and Leeds manager has had an instant positive impact. Consecutive wins over Hamilton and Dundee have lifted the Hibees back into the top six and that is one of their two objectives for the remainder of this season. The other aim is to attempt to lift the Scottish Cup for the second time in four seasons as they face the current holders Celtic at Easter Road in the quarter final on Saturday. It’s going to be a massive clash for both teams and the new manager’s biggest test to date. Before that, however, Hibs will be hoping they can continue their good scoring form which has seen them notch six goals in their last two games by extending that into Wednesday’s trip to face St Johnstone. It could be argued that they would be expected to beat the teams they have faced thus far under the new boss, but a trip to a ground they have not won at since 2013 is likely to prove more challenging.

St Johnstone v Hibernian Betting Preview

This game is likely to go a long way to determining who finishes in the top six. St Johnstone, Hibs and Motherwell look set to battle it out for sixth spot and whoever wins this game would certainly have the advantage ahead of the last five games of the regular season. Going on the trends of this fixture, St Johnstone have had the upper hand in recent games and have taken four points from the first two meetings between these clubs this season. There is usually little between the sides, however, with the last six meetings being decided by one goal or ending in a draw. Incidentally, Hibs last win in the league over this opponent came back in September 2013.

The league table and recent history in the fixture suggests there is little between these two teams and I expect that will be the case when they clash again on Wednesday. Heckingbottom has a 100% record in his brief spell in charge of Hibs and whilst he would love to continue that, the biggest match for the club is Saturday’s cup quarter final against Celtic. Considering the Saints recent poor run they will be happy to start accumulating points again, and with three draws in the last five I’m taking another share of the points.