The disappointment came with a tinge of relief for Chris Cadden, but he knows Hibs are running out of chances.

The spectre of a second bottom half finish in three seasons now hangs heavy over Easter Road, summoned by a dismal 2-1 home defeat to St Johnstone on Saturday. An unlikely Motherwell comeback at Dens Park was all that stopped it becoming reality for Nick Montgomery's side, but the odds of hauling themselves into the top six remain against them.

Hibs must now win at Fir Park this coming weekend and hope that Dundee take nothing from their final pre-split fixtures against Rangers and Aberdeen. Should Tony Docherty's team spring a shock when Rangers visit Tayside on Wednesday, Hibs fate will be sealed before they embark for Lanarkshire.

It really ought to have been finalised on Saturday, but Cadden and his team-mates could get one final crack at salvaging something from an uninspiring campaign. The right-back scored his first goal since returning from a ruptured achilles, but his equaliser could not inspire Hibs on to victory as goals from Adama Sidibeh and Tony Gallacher earned Saints a precious win in their fight for survival.

All possible permutations aside, though, Cadden accepts that Hibs simply must be better. 

“We heard about the Dundee result just after the game," he said. "We know how big next weekend could be now. We know today wasn’t good enough from us. We know that.

“So now we have to focus on putting things right next weekend – and hoping things go our way. Unfortunately.

“I think there is a wee sense of relief that we’re still in it. But it’s mostly disappointed because this was a chance we could have taken, a chance we should have taken.

“That’s the way I feel, anyway. Maybe later in the week I’ll feel differently. But this was an opportunity missed, really. At home to St Johnstone, you have to be looking to win these games.

“It is frustrating that it’s not in our own hands. But that’s the situation we’re in. We just have to channel it into next week.

“We need to take the disappointment and frustration of the situation, use that disappointment for next week. We wish it was in our own hands. Unfortunately, it’s not."

The goal was a pleasing milestone for Cadden on his road back, calmly slotting home through a ruck of bodies after Myziane Maolida's shot was saved by Dimitar Mitov. But any satisfaction was far outstripped by Hibs' inability to turn that moment into a push for the winner, instead meekly succumbing to Gallacher's winner from a corner.

“For the goal, the ball just sort of broke to me," said Cadden. "I just tried to keep it on target and keep it down. I was obviously happy to get my first goal this season. But it’s disappointing because of the result.

“However pleased I might be personally to score, I’m still gutted with the result, because it wasn’t enough. I thought momentum switched when we scored. All of our best chances came at 1-1, really, didn’t they? So I felt that we had a right good few opportunities.

"Their keeper pulled off some great saves. We were the team looking to go on and win the game. But unfortunately it just wasn’t meant to be."

Hibs had a strong shout for a penalty denied in the first-half as Emiliano Marcondes was floored by the onrushing Mitov, who appeared to get far more of his opponent than he did the ball. But the Bulgarian keeper, who frustrated Hibs with some excellent second-half saves, was having none of it.

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“No, you can’t be claiming that," he insisted. "I won the ball first, I shouted nice and early and won the punch. It’s understandable that they’re trying to get something but not in my books.

“It’s a huge win. We did our homework against Hibs and knew we could create opportunities. It was up to us to defend our box first and foremost and then give our front players a chance to win the game, and they did that. 

“I don’t want to give too many secrets away but we knew that we would get opportunities because they play a really high line. Adama could run the channel and I thought he was outstanding. I’m so happy he got a goal. 

“We have enough quality. It has been a frustrating season but with boys we have and the management, then we are going to be all right."