Highlights: St Johnstone 1-3 Hibernian
Captain and goalscorer Paul Hanlon said Hibs "answered a few questions" as they comfortably brushed St Johnstone aside in the Scottish Premiership bottom six.
A wonderful free-kick from Emiliano Marcondes and a rare strike from Hanlon gave Nick Montgomery's side a comfortable cushion, before Dylan Vente added a third in the second-half.
Benjamin Kimpioka added a late consolation for St Johnstone, but it was far too late to make an impact.
Under fire after the Hibs board of directors called the bottom-six finish "not acceptable" Hanlon told BBC Scotland: "Going into the game, there was a lot of pressure on us. People might ask what our mentality will be like going into these games.
"I think we answered a few of those questions today. We showed we're up for the fight.
"I've had to be patient this season in terms of minutes on the pitch. I just wanted to get on and help the team. To get a goal was perfect. I'm just disappointed we didn't get a clean sheet to top it off.
"Scoring a goal for Hibs is always special for me."
Meanwhile, Craig Levein's side remain in a relegation battle, a point ahead of 11th-placed Ross County - who lost to bottom side Livingston - while Hibs stay seventh.
It was Hibs boss Montgomery who seemed to come into this game under more pressure - perhaps not helped by the club's midweek statement.
There was an immediate reaction from the players. From a free-kick 30 yards from goal, Marcondes whipped a stupendous effort into the top corner.
Hibs' performance wasn't without faults. David Marshall's hospital ball to Marcondes allowed Adama Sidibeh in on goal, but the goalkeeper made amends with a fine save.
The visitors then went up pitch, Marcondes and Myziane Maolida trading passes before the latter skimmed the crossbar from close range.
Hibs impressed most on the counter, and that's where the next goal came from.
Martin Boyle tore down the pitch and tried to dink Dimitar Mitov. His effort was saved, but when the ball was returned, Hanlon had three efforts at goal.
The first two were blocked by Liam Gordon, but the third broke kindly and Hanlon was able to rattle it into the bottom corner.
There had been some nice build-up play from St Johnstone in the first-half, but their confidence was sapped and they struggled to create much in the second.
Instead, it looked more likely Hibs would run away with it. Boyle pulled the ball back to Maolida in the box, but Phillips had raced back to block on the line.
That heroism would be undone when a long free-kick was chipped forward and not dealt with.
Josh Campbell was able to loop a header over the statuesque defence, and fellow sub Vente lashed home.
Player of the Match - Myziane Maolida (Hibs)
A threat all day long, he breezed past defenders all day long and was influential in Hibs attack.
Hibs find clinical edge as hosts' survival hopes stutter - analysis
The sliding doors moment in this game could be pinpointed to Sidibeh's first-half miss.
The striker has done so well since his January arrival in Perth, but when one-on-one he had to score and level the game. From there who knows what could have happened, but instead momentum swung to the visitors.
Hibs were far more clinical - although not as clinical as they could have been. Adam Le Fondre was not hugely involved, but Marcondes and Maolida were able to put on a show.
There were still defensive frailties. They handed St Johnstone that Sidibeh chance, and looked shaky when trying to build, but they were far better when they went direct.
What they said
'I don't think we deserved anything' - Levein
St Johnstone manager Craig Levein: "I don't think we deserved anything. The first-half performance was poor. That gave Hibs the hope they needed. We gave them a 2-0 lead at half-time and we tried to get back into the game but didn't manage it.
"In the first-half, we couldn't pass the ball to each other and that's quite important. We made poor decisions and gave the ball away. Our crossing was poor."
Hibernian manager Nick Montgomery: "It was an important win for us, a good test of character. We've got a lot of it in that dressing room.
"It was a game we needed to win and we did so comfortably. We probably could have scored eight goals, the keeper has pulled of four or five top-class saves."
'It was a good test of character' - Montgomery
What's next?
St Johnstone travel to Aberdeen next Saturday, while Hibernian go up to Dingwall on the same day (both 15:00 BST).
