Chris Kane scored a late winner as St Johnstone saw off plucky 10-man Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1-0 at McDiarmid Park on Wednesday.
The hosts edged a scrappy first half with Darnell Fisher just clearing the crossbar with a 25-yard strike, before providing the cross for Kane to glance a header wide.
But the flashpoint of the match came in the 67th minute when Caley defender Gary Warren was shown a second yellow card and subsequent red for upending Danny Swanson in the penalty area.
David Wotherspoon's resulting spot-kick was saved by Owain Fon Williams, but the numerical advantage finally paid dividends six minutes from time when Fisher's cross fell kindly for Kane, who prodded home.
Tommy Wright's men move up to the fifth thanks to the win, while Caley remain ninth.
