Hearts 2 – 1 St Johnstone

St Johnstone’s relegation from the Scottish Premiership has been confirmed, ending their 16-year stay in the top flight.

A 2-1 loss to Hearts ended their slim hopes of survival as they fell to their fourth straight league defeat, their 21st of the season.

The Perth side have been a constant in the top flight since former boss Derek McInnes led them to promotion in season 2008/09.

Simo Valakari took charge at Saints last October, replacing Craig Levein who was sacked with the club sitting 10th in the table.

How was St Johnstone’s relegation confirmed?

Valakari’s side have been bottom ever since losing at Tynecastle the weekend before Christmas and, despite a valiant effort to improve their predicament in recent months, they were unable to take their fight to the final day.

An early own goal from Saints defender Barry Douglas followed by Alan Forrest’s strike left the Perth men up against it at the break. Despite pulling one back through substitute Graham Carey, their fate was confirmed when Ross County – the team directly above them – secured a point away to Dundee with an equaliser several minutes after the match at Tynecastle had finished.

Hearts, who are set to seal the appointment of Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes as their new boss in the coming days, were able to enjoy a third win in a row since caretaker Liam Fox took the reins following the sacking of Neil Critchley last month.

Saints had a chance to pull one back just before the break when McPake dispossessed Frankie Kent and burst clear but goalkeeper Fulton spread himself to make an impressive save.

The visitors were booed off by their supporters at the break and Valakari responded with a double substitution for the start of the second half as Griffith and Sam Curtis were replaced by Graham Carey and Sprangler.

Hearts captain Shankland – out of contract this summer and potentially playing his last game at Tynecastle – went agonisingly close to finding the net with an audacious attempt from the halfway line on the hour mark.

Saints gave themselves a glimmer of hope in the 74th minute when Carey curled home a free-kick from 20 yards out. Despite a narrow defeat, it looked like they might at least get to take their fight to the final day until County’s stoppage-time goal at Dens Park consigned them to the Championship for the first time since 2009 after the Saints players had already gone up the tunnel.