Five most significant Hearts victories under Robbie Neilson

Osmain Sow, left, celebrates with team-mates after scoring the winner at Ibrox in 2014. Picture: SNS.

Start as you mean to continue. In Robbie Neilson’s first game as Hearts manager, his side were leading 1-0 at Ibrox, thanks to a Danny Wilson header, when Nicky Law finally broke through in the 90th minute. Instead of accepting the draw, Hearts drove right from kick-off down to the other end of the field and found a dramatic winning goal when Osman Sow drove the ball off the back post and into the net from 18 yards. In hindsight, the Scottish Championship crown was won there and then.

Hearts 2 - 1 Hibs

The Neilson era could scarcely have got off to a better start when, a week after the win at Ibrox, they defeated Hibs in the first Edinburgh derby of the season. Sam Nicholson set them on the way with a thumping goal before Prince Buaben sealed it from the penalty spot. Even though the visitors pulled a goal back in injury time, Hearts held on for the only victory against Hibs in the Robbie Neilson era.

Hearts 10 - 0 Cowdenbeath

Not the most important result in the grand scheme of things, as Hearts were marching towards the league title anway. But c’mon, they won 10-0! Not to mention the fact that loan striker Género Zeefuik would have scored the quickest hat-trick in football history had Lewis Toshney not taken so long leaving the field after being sent off for conceding the penalty which sealed the striker’s treble. The storming victory, which included a “Panenka” by Morgaro Gomis, highlighted the gulf in class between Hearts and the rest of the division.

Hearts 6 - 0 Motherwell

If there could be one complaint about Hearts’ first season back in the top flight, it would be that performances similar to this emphatic win over Motherwell, who landed in the top six themselves, did not occur more often. When Hearts were at their best they were a joy to watch. Six different players scored in this victory by Neilson’s side, who would never be the same after Sow was sold at the end of the January window.

Hearts 2 - 0 Rangers

This wasn’t just a case of Hearts securing a necessary victory for Neilson to leave on a high, they absolutely dominated Rangers to climb above Mark Warburton’s side into second place. A double by Robbie Muirhead did the damage, as the Hearts fans sang “there’s only one Robbie Neilson” at the conclusion of the match.