A day to forget for Scottish Premiership leaders Aberdeen who suffered a shock 5-1 home defeat by St Johnstone.
The Perth Saints were two goals ahead after only 10 minutes thanks to two early strikes from Brian Easton and former Aberdeen player Joe Shaughnessy.
Ash Taylor reduced the deficit by heading home from a corner but Liam Craig restored St Johnstone’s two goal advantage before the break.
A quick-fire double after the restart from another former Don, Steven MacLean, sent the travelling support wild, while some of the Aberdeen supporters decided they had seen enough.
The Dons remain four points clear at the top of the table but Celtic can cut the gap to one with a win at Hamilton tomorrow.
Top scorer Adam Rooney returned for Aberdeen in place of Josh Parker, who was given a surprise start in last week’s 2-1 defeat at Caley Thistle.
The only other change from the team that started in Inverness saw Peter Pawlett come in for Paul Quinn, who dropped to the bench.
This had looked to be a good time to face St Johnstone with first choice goalkeeper Alan Mannus suspended and Michael O’Halloran and Chris Millar missing through injury.
Goalkeeper Zander Clark, who spent the last two seasons on loan at Queen of the South, made his first competitive start for the Perth Saints, while Simon Lappin and David Wotherspoon were also handed starts.
The Dons were looking to bounce back from two successive defeats but they got off to the worst possible start.
A long throw-in from former Don Joe Shaughnessy was headed clear by Andrew Considine only as far as Easton who produced a stunning volley from 25 yards which flew into the top corner past the despairing Danny Ward with five minutes on the clock.
Worse was to follow only five minutes later when a Lappin free kick was headed off the post by Steven MacLean and Shaughnessy was quickest to react and scramble the loose ball home from close range.
The Dons required an immediate response and they got one within two minutes when Ash Taylor nodded home a Niall McGinn corner that was needlessly conceded by nervy Saints stopper Clark.
The hosts were putting the jittery Clark under pressure at every opportunity but a smart reflex save to deny Rooney would have helped calm the nerves.
The next goal was always going to be crucial and it fell the way of the visitors.
Aberdeen goalkeeper Ward made an excellent save to tip a well-struck Craig effort round the post but he was unable to keep out the St Johnstone’s midfielder’s deflected shot from the resulting set-piece which squirmed underneath him.
A much improved display from Aberdeen was expected after the break but instead it was St Johnstone who enhanced their advantage.
Only two minutes into the second half, Liam Craig’s in-swinging corner was headed home by MacLean who revelled in celebrating in front of the home support.
And the former Don made the most of some shambolic Dons defending when, following a dreadful clearance from goalkeeper Ward, he headed home a Graham Cummins cross, prompting some Aberdeen supporters to head for the exits with only 51 minutes elapsed.
MacLean almost grabbed his hat-trick 10 minutes from time but Ward managed to keep out his low drive at the second attempt.