Hibs substitute Dirk Lehmann netted a dramatic equaliser in the final minute after an astonishing game at Easter Road.

After a dull first half in which Hibs led thanks to a Russell Latapy strike, the second half came to life with a feast of goals.

Mixu Paatelainen increased the home side's lead before the Perth outfit staged an amazing fightback.

John O'Neill began the comeback with a brilliant long range strike before Kieran McAnespie netted with a clever free kick.

And two minutes from time substitute Keigan Parker thought he had won the game for the Saints with his first ever senior goal, only for Lehmann to salvage a point for Hibs at the death.

Yet there was no hint of the dramas to come in what was a dreadful first half.

Hibs created the first chance in the ninth minute when Pat McGinlay clipped the ball over the bar following a Stuart Lovell dummy.

The home side took the lead in the 13th minute thanks to brilliant work from Latapy.

The Trinidad and Tobago midfielder collected the ball on the far left before jinking past two St Johnstone defenders and firing a wonderful shot into the corner of the net.

Paatelainen's physical presence was causing problems for the St Johnstone defence and he knocked the ball down for Kenny Miller in the 23rd minute only to see the youngster shoot wide from long range.

Saints were battling hard to get back into the game but at that stage they seemed to lack ideas in front of goal.

Saints replaced Stephen Frail with youngster Parker at the break in an attempt to get back into the match but it seemed that would be to no avail when Hibs extended their lead in the 48th minute.

A Latapy cross was headed across goal by Martin McIntosh and Paatelainen nodded the ball home from point blank range.

The McDiarmid Park side dramatically dragged themselves back into the game in the 68th minute following a bizarre goal.

John O'Neill unleashed a stunning 25-yard effort which crashed off the bar onto the goalline. The ball then struck Hibs keeper Nick Colgan who couldn't prevent it from crossing the line.

And four minutes later the Saints grabbed the equaliser through McAnespie.

He cleverly clipped a free kick from the right edge of the box over the wall and into the net which deceived keeper Colgan.

Hibs were stung by this and they almost regained the lead five minutes before the end when McIntosh powered a header just over the bar from 12 yards.

Then, to the dismay of the home fans, St Johnstone incredibly grabbed the lead with two minutes to go.

Paddy Connolly exchanged passes with John O'Neill before slipping in Parker and the substitute's strike flew into the bottom corner of the net to beat Colgan.

But, just as the Hibs fans were streaming out of the ground, a long clearance put the Saints defence in a muddle and German striker Lehmann took advantage to nod home and salvage a point for Hibs.

Teams:

Hibernian: Colgan, Lovering, Hughes, McIntosh, Smith, Lovell, Latapy, McGinlay, Brebner, Miller (Lehmann 66), Paatelainen.

Subs Not Used: Gottskalksson, Dennis, Hartley, Murray.

Booked: Lovering.

Goals: Latapy 13, Paatelainen 48, Lehmann 90.

St Johnstone: Robertson, Weir, Griffin, Dods, Frail (Parker 46), O'Neil, Kane, O'Halloran, McAnespie, Connolly, McBride (McMahon 59).

Subs Not Used: Gow, Millar, Thomas.

Goals: O'Neil 68, McAnespie 72, Parker 89.

Att: 9,211

Ref: Willie Young (Scotland).