Last term there were attempts to demean Lawrence Shankland’s scoring exploits, with his detractors claiming that the number of converted penalties included in his tally somehow undermined his potency.

This year, as he continues to lead the Premiership scoring charts, he has dispensed with penalty taking after missing three out of three in league action, and seems hell-bent on racking up efforts that only the most mean-spirited could fault.

Failing to convert against Hibs and Livingston before the winter break and against Dundee on Tuesday, the Gorgie captain left it up to team-mate Jorge Grant to face up to Kelle Roos at Tynecastle as Hearts took on Aberdeen. It was a wise move as the Englishman found the postage stamp corner of the the Dons net, to sway momentum in Hearts’ favour in a Premiership match they ended up winning 2-0.

Jorge Grant was spot-on for Hearts when asked to assume penalty duties.

But it was Shankland’s goal – shoving Grant out the way to almost nonchalantly unleash a swerving shot high into the net – which put the game beyond doubt and ensured that any Dons bid to repeat last season’s late surge and overhaul them in the chase for third place will be so much more difficult. The victory took the capital side 19 points clear of their Pittodrie rivals, who have three games in hand but, on this evidence, no right to expect the maximum points return from them. It also leaves Aberdeen requiring a win against Dundee on Tuesday to even force their way into the top six and ease some of the growing pressure on manager Barry Robson, who was taunted by the home support – who were, tellingly, egged on by some frustrated away fans.

For Hearts, it was another performance that proved slow to ignite as both sides did a solid job of cancelling each other out during a fairly ponderous opening 45 minutes. Aberdeen probably had the better of the chances in that period with Bojan Miovski, Dante Polvara and Leighton Clarkson showing intent and the visitors being given too much space in the middle of the park. Hearts’ passing was too laboured at that stage but they found momentum in the second half and ultimately delivered their seventh win in an eight-game unbeaten stretch.

There had been pomp and ceremony ahead of kick-off as the Gorgie outfit marked their 150th anniversary season with the hoisting of the Sesquicentennial Flag but Aberdeen threatened to spoil the day when Miovski found the net early on. VAR intervened, though, pointing out a foul in the build up and the scoreline remained 0-0. Hearts were the ones who eventually made the breakthrough, coming out in the second half with greater impetus and when Alan Forrest’s cross into the box was foiled by Nicky Devlin’s outstretched arm, the men in the booth got involved once more, convincing referee Kevin Clancy to take a second look. That resulted in a spot-kick for Hearts.

As all eyes moved to Shankland to see if the man who has already netted 20 goals in all competitions for club and country this season but had squandered his last three penalty kicks would step up in the hope of making it fourth time lucky, Jorge Grant picked up the ball. Coping with the delay, he dispatched his effort beyond a helpless Roos and into the postage stamp corner of the goal. That was the fillip Hearts needed to take control and while they were not at their most fluid or dynamic they were on the front foot and worthy of the lead.

Barry Robson's Aberdeen team need a big win against Dundee on Tuesday as they slipped further behind the Jambos.

Aberdeen, in contrast, started to feel the pressure and shrunk into themselves more as the match wore on, leaving the outcome a foregone conclusion. Especially when Shankland stepped up with a little bit of goalscoring magic to double their advantage. With the ball played inside Grant and Shankland converged on it at the edge of the box. Having passed up the opportunity of a goal from the spot, the main striker was not so magnanimous again and, shoving Grant out of the way, he swerved a delightful ball high into Roos’ net. It was a well-executed shot with very little backlift but plenty of accuracy. And, having weighed in with his eighth goal in eight games there was little wonder the player Hearts hope will still be at the club when the transfer deadline passes this week, received an ovation as he was substituted minutes from the end.

Hearts could have added to the tally as both Alan Forrest and substitute Kenneth Vargas tested the Aberdeen keeper, but in the end the two goals were more than enough.

Hearts verdict: Aberdeen fans join in Barry Robson taunts as Jambos tighten grip on third without Lawrence Shankland on penalty duties