It’s job done for Hamilton. Well, almost. Barring a staggering 13 goal swing on the final day of the season, Martin Canning’s side will be in the Ladbrokes Premiership for a fifth successive campaign. “I think we’re safe,” said the PA announcer somewhat tentatively at the end. Despite a fourth defeat to St Johnstone in the league this season, Partick Thistle’s loss at home to Motherwell left Hamilton three points ahead of the Jags and with the added security of a vastly superior goal difference. Canning was equally as cautious as the tannoy man, mind you

“I know we should be safe but stranger things have happened,” he said. “I’m not going to be in the papers saying ‘we’re safe’ and then I’m left pig sick on Sunday if a freak event occurs. I’d think we are almost there but mathematically we have to approach the game on Saturday properly and take something from it.”

Hamilton were bolstered by the spark, invention and industry of David Templeton, who had missed the narrow defeat at Dundee due to injury but was back in the starting XI last night.

St Johnstone, meanwhile, were forced into an early reshuffling of the cards as Matty Willock hirpled off to be replaced by Alastair McCann.

The fare on offer had been pretty hum-drum although those of a Hamilton persuasion had their senses roused on 20 minutes when Danny Redmond toppled in the box. The referee, Kevin Clancy, was not impressed however and booked the Hamilton man for taking a plunge much to the hissing ire of the home supporters.

It had been a tousy, disjointed tussle and the play had about as much flowing artistry as a tailback on the M74. Templeton did inject proceedings with a bit of oomph on the half hour with a curling free-kick which Zander Clark did well to palm round the post as the match began to liven up. Not long after, Redmond was sent scampering free but with just the onrushing keeper to beat he poked his effort wide of the post. That profligacy should have been punished on 41 minutes when George Williams found himself in splendid isolation some six yards out but his cushioned volley from a David Wotherspoon cross bounced off the post. Williams’ head-in-the-hands reaction as he picked himself up off his knees underlined the gilt-edged nature of the spurned opportunity.

With half-time looming, St Johnstone again served menacing notice of their intentions and a tidy move ended with Scott Tanser unleashing a searing drive which rattled the same upright. The shrill of Clancy’s whistle to signal the interval came as something of a relief for hattered Hamilton.

Under the cosh in the closing minutes of the first period, the hosts countered early in the second half and Darian MacKinnon’s near post was tipped to safety by the alert an agile Clark.

Hamilton were making a few more purposeful advances as they looked to prise an opening but they were caught out by a simple ball over the top on 65 minutes which allowed St Johnstone to edged ahead. Williams chased down the raking through ball and got there just before being clattered by Hamilton keeper Ryan Fulton. From the resulting penalty, David McMillan calmly stroked in his second goal in four days.

The news that Thistle were losing at least gave the Hamilton supporters a sense of slight reassurance amid the nail-nibbling but a second goal for St Johnstone on 80 minutes didn’t go down too well. Callum Hendry’s shot was parried by Fulton and as the ball came back into the danger zone, Wotherspoon was on hand to sweep in a tidy finish.

There was a late rally from Hamilton as Dougie Imrie scored with a back post header to give the hosts hope of plundering a point. It was too little too late. But it still should be enough.