The goal was fun, the celebrations still special for a player who has achieved so much in his career. But the ovation that greeted Junior Hoilett when he enjoyed the traditional Man of the Match honour of being substituted with just two of the 90 minutes remaining at Easter Road? That’s the sweet spot for a professional who, even at the grand old footballing age of 34, still gets a kick from punters showing their appreciation. It is, as the Canadian puts it, why footballers put in the hard work – to make the fans proud. Hoilett, who opened the scoring in yesterday’s 3-0 trouncing of relegation-haunted St Johnstone, before setting up the second for stand-in skipper Martin Boyle, turned in one of his most impressive performances in a Hibs jersey on an afternoon when plenty of his team-mates caught the eye. Just a little stung by being left out of Canada’s squad for the Concacaf Nations League Finals, pleased that national team boss Jesse Marsch flew all the way to Scotland to reassure the veteran of his continued importance to the cause, Hoilett played like a man with something to prove. The former Blackburn, QPR, Cardiff and Reading attacker, asked about being applauded off the pitch when given the ceremonial hook just before full-time, said: “It's amazing. To get credit from the fans is something each player looks for. “That's why you work day in, day out. You do it for the fans and for the club. “For the fans to show their appreciation is a massive boost and it gives every player the confidence to hear the ovation like that. Every player that plays the game gives them an extra boost and confidence - and it could go a long way for each player. “At the end of the week, what you work hard for in training, at the end of the week you get the result. Get the points and get the result for not only the group but also for the club and for the fans. It puts a smile on everybody's faces.” Hoilett, who came close to scoring against Kilmarnock just before the international break, found the net yesterday with an absolute pearler. One not unlike his effort at Rugby Park – and a goal predicted by his injured club captain. The boy from Brampton, Ontario revealed: “Yeah, speaking before the game, Joe Newell said I was unlucky last time against Kilmarnock, and he said I would get one today. It's good to just get the space and get a sweet connection and see it go in the back of the net.” Just as pleasing was the way the second goal came about for Hibs, Hoilett pouncing to win the ball as St Johnstone looked to build from the back – and finding another pre-match prediction, this one from gaffer David Gray, proving absolutely spot on. Almost as if they planned it … “Yeah, credit to the manager,” said the experienced playmaker. “We've been working on that this week in training to try and close the spaces and force them one way and win it back. “He said as soon as we win it, there'll be a man spare. Yeah, credit to the manager. We worked on that all week.” Signed on a one-year contract as a free agent in the summer, with Aberdeen deciding they wouldn’t offer him a new deal despite his impressive efforts for the Dons last season, Hoilett is yet to receive any proposal about extending his stay at Easter Road. And, with all due respect to us guys on the other side of the microphone, he’s been around the block too many times to say anything controversial about his future at this stage of the season. “I'm just taking each game as it comes,” he said, adding: “Of course, I'm loving my time here at Hibs. It's a very family-orientated club. “It's a great group. Each player works hard for each other, and you can see over the recent results how much it means for not only the players but for the fans. “Like I said, we've just been focusing on each game as it comes. Working day in, day out in training and just enjoying my time here. Just enjoying each day in training with the boys and with the staff. “It's been an amazing few months and season so far. Long may it continue.” Hoilett spent the international break back in London with family, having been omitted from the Canada squad. He still stayed up into the wee small hours to see them lose their Nations League semi-final to Mexico, then reprised his night owl act to watch them save some face, at least, by defeating the USA in a predictably tense third-placed play-off. Revealing how former Leeds United gaffer Marsch had taken a personal approach to his omission, an important detail for a player with ambitions to play in a World Cup on home soil next summer, Hoilett – who has 65 caps for Canada - said: “Yeah, the manager flew out and came to see me, to be fair, a few weeks before. He also called me before. Of course, you're disappointed. Every player wants to go and represent their country. “But I stayed up late at night to watch them play. I was rooting for them all the way. Of course, you're going to be disappointed. But at the end of the day, it's your country. You've got to support them no matter what. “Massive respect to Jesse Marsch to come out, fly all the way here to come see me face-to-face and tell me his thoughts for the next cycle. I’ve got massive respect for the manager. I'm happy that he supports me and still has me in his plans.” Your next Hibs read: Star man gets 8/10 as Junior shows a first touch so soft it could lull a baby to sleep ...