Tony Watt came back to haunt former employer St Johnstone and clinch all three points for Dundee United.
The striker found the back of the net with little under 10 minutes remaining following what had been a rather monotonous encounter until that point.
It proved to be the only goal of the contest and resulted in Saints dropping out of the top six, with their second-from-bottom Tayside rivals closing the gap to five points.
United had started better, looked far more comfortable in possession and more dangerous going forward.
A Graham Carey last-ditch challenge was required in the opening 10 minutes to block Watt’s goal-bound shot.
Carey, up the other end, lined-up a 34th minute free-kick in a promising position but his left-footed effort sailed harmlessly over the crossbar. Apart from that, Saints had not really threatened.
That trend continued through to the half, with neither goalkeepers Remi Matthews or Mark Birighitti forced to pull off a meaningful save.
There had been a lack of energy on the field of play and at the scoreboard end of the East Stand where, usually, there is much-welcomed atmosphere at McDiarmid Park.
That section was vacant in the first half, presumably in protest against the ticket arrangements announced on Friday for this month’s Scottish Cup home tie against Rangers. A banner read: Against Modern Football.
The section returned for the second half and, whether linked or not, Saints seemed to have a bit more about them.
Stevie May forced Birighitti into a smart low stop on 48 minutes and then Jamie Murphy tried his luck from range.
With 65 minutes played, Carey, Nicky Clark and Murphy were replaced with fresh legs in David Wotherspoon, Cammy MacPherson and Connor McLennan.
Clear cut opportunities were at a premium although James Brown had ghosted into the box on 75 minutes but was unable to nod Drey Wright’s cross on target from a promising position.
There was to be a breakthrough and it arrived for the visitors when Watt, after swivelling at the edge of the box, guided low into the bottom corner.
Theo Bair and Michael O’Halloran entered the action for the closing stages.
McLennan and Bair did go close in the final minutes for Saints but the visiting defence managed to clear.
