Aberdeen come from behind to beat Ross County, while 10-man Hamilton throw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at Kilmarnock
Saturday 9 November 2019 18:57, UK
Christian Doidge silenced his critics by netting a hat-trick as managerless Hibs thumped fellow Scottish Premiership strugglers St Johnstone 4-1 at McDiarmid Park.
The summer signing from Forest Green had failed to score a league goal this season, but marked the first game since the sacking of Paul Heckingbottom with the perfect response.
Doidge opened the scoring inside two minutes before Joe Newell hit a post for Hibs, who had head of player development Eddie May in charge.
Doidge doubled his side's lead in the 17th minute and, after Scott Allan made it 3-1 in the 48th minute, completed his hat-trick just before the hour.
Stevie May (90) struck a consolation but Hibs won for the first time in 11 games.
Edinburgh rivals Hearts, also managerless, struck five times as they beat basement boys St Mirren 5-2 at Tynecastle.
The Jambos, with Austin MacPhee in temporary charge following the departure of Craig Levein, took the lead after six minutes through Steven Naismith.
Jonathan Obika (21) levelled and Daniel Mullen (33) made it 2-2 after Sean McLoughlin's own goal on the half-hour had put Hearts back in front.
Oliver Bozanic restored Hearts' lead three minutes before half-time, Jamie Walker made it 4-2 a minute after the restart with Jake Mulraney rounding off the scoring 13 minutes from time.
Aberdeen came from behind to beat Ross County 3-1 at Dingwall - with a third successive win lifting them into third place.
Josh Mullin converted a fifth-minute penalty, after Lewis Ferguson was penalised for handball, but Niall McGinn levelled five minutes later.
Second-half goals from Ryan Hedges (52) and Andrew Considine (70) wrapped up the victory to leave Ross County winless in seven.
Ten-man Hamilton threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at Kilmarnock as their winless run extended to six.
Mickel Miller (2) and Steve Davies (25) put Hamilton in control before they had Sam Stubbs sent off in the 29th minute for a last-man foul.
Mohamed El Makrini reduced the deficit on the stroke of half-time and Eamonn Brophy levelled three minutes into the second half.
Sky Sports News' Luke Shanley
It's the same old story, when a manager, or in this case a head coach, leaves a club, the team go out and get a victory in the next game.
Hibernian were that club today. Paul Heckingbottom was sacked on Monday with questions about his recruitment lingering.
The big-money signing this summer by Hibernian standards was Christian Doidge. The former Forest Green Rovers man had managed just two goals in the League Cup against lower-league opposition ahead of today's game, while missing copious chances against St Mirren and Aberdeen this season.
He started to answer his critics with two goals in the opening 20 minutes, both times helped by strike-partner Florian Kamberi. The fact he had a strike partner is important. Doidge has never looked comfortable as the lone front man and Heckingbottom would not change the tactics to accommodate it.
Caretaker-boss Eddie May did tweak things today and the impact was immediate.
The one signing who has been universally accepted is Scott Allan, now in his third spell with the club - he scored Hibernian's third, which was the pick of the bunch.
Doidge got the fourth and completed his hat-trick which will be a massive confidence boost for both him and the fans.
With the international break now upon us, the Hibernian hierarchy have a big decision to make. They can't afford another failure in the dugout. Today's result shows there is more to come from this team, but they also have to appreciate that it is only one win. Much more improvement is required on and off the field.
