How Hearts' ambition and burgeoning self-worth have taken the Tynecastle side to the top with a 2-0 win voer Motherwell

Hearts have returned to the Premiership with a real sense of purpose and a level of confidence that is growing by the week.

A team that so easily acquiesced on the pitch in the season they were demoted, at that time their peers discarded them with little sentiment.

But none of them have been able to dismiss the Tynecastle side this season, as the Gorgie club faces up to all comers, on and off the pitch.

Having joined forces with a handful of Premiership clubs to launch an investigation into the SPFL’s ability to provide members value for money, they seem to be a club who have rediscovered their self-worth and it is paying off.

Hearts' Liam Boyce celebrates with teammates and fans after opening the scoring in his side's victory over Motherwell. Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group

In their eight league Premiership games they have won five, drawn three and that level of consistency has taken them to the very top of the standings.

It means that they should travel to Ibrox in their first game after the international break with a winning mentality and a determination not to let the reigning champions have it all their own way. That has been reflected in their ongoing push to have Hearts fans admitted to the Govan ground. After raising the issue with the SPFL there is hope that some kind of solution can be found, according to Hearts chief executive Andrew McKinlay.

It all lends weight to the suspicion that the fan-owned club is hellbent on reestablishing themselves as one of the league’s heavyweights.

There is definitely a tenacity and mental solidity to them that resonates with the image of the capital’s old castle rock.

Having found a preferred system, Robbie Neilson has a load of players who make it work. Even when guys they were dependent on not so long ago, like John Souttar and Josh Ginnelly, are absent from the line-up and the likes of Craig Halkett, who has recaptured the form that prompted his recruitment, is forced off with a head knock, they have matchwinners all over the pitch.

While captain Craig Gordon will always have to be relied upon to produce top quality saves - against Motherwell he was able to deny Tony Watt, Bevis Mugabi, Kaiyne Woolery and Juhani Ojala - especially when facing the best in the league, the pace, energy and drive of the men in front of him ensure the Gorgie outfit play the game on the front foot.

Key to that is the developing partnership, workrate and omnipresent nature of the performances delivered by Beni Baningime and Cammy Devlin, who are fast becoming the heartbeat of the side.

Liam Boyce, who opened the scoring in the fifth minute after Barrie McKay had played a clever pass through for him. It looked like there might be just too much on it but the Northern Irishman refused to give up and chased it down, reaching the ball ahead of Motherwell keeper Liam Kelly, who needlessly tripped him to give away a penalty.

Boyce dispatched it clinically, and explained that it is the example of the young midfield duo that has forced everyone else to up their effort levels and press for everything.

It was a bold start to a game with so much at stake. With Rangers and Hibs not in action until Sunday, both sides knew they could go top if they won.

Having previously passed up that opportunity, Hearts were not in any mood to do so again.

In a highly-compettive match, where Motherwell tried to out-muscle Hearts, the home side matched the physicality and withstood the bumps to outplay them, particularly in a first half which Hearts controlled.

The early lead helped with that but there is character in this Hearts side, which perfectly complements the undoubted prowess they have going forward when everything clicks. There’s the crisp, one touch link ups that took the ball from one end of the pitch to the other in a quick, fluid passage of play, the movement and vision that allowed them to switch possession from one side of the pitch to the other and the patience that saw them probe away until space opened up.

And, they grabbed the second in the 22nd minute to afford them even more breathing space.

That goal came from a spectacular Stephen Kingsley freekick that left Kelly with no chance.

But, they didn’t have it all their own way. Motherwell have proved themselves an impressive unit and the surprise act of the season so far. But they will be cursing the capital city. Their only league defeats have now come in the opening day defeat to Hibs and this loss.

In truth this was the kind of match Hearts may have tripped over in the past but, building up a head of steam, that never looked likely during the 90 minutes, even when Motherwell got closer to them in the second half.

Every man in maroon looked like he was fighting for something, chasing back, making himself available, buoyed by confidence and ambition. And when that wasn’t enough Gordon, enjoying his sixth shut-out in his past eight games for club and country, stepped up.

Things could have been even better for the home side if Boyce had converted a second, controversial spotkick but the man with 10 goals this season couldn’t get the better of Kelly for a second time and the keeper saved that effort.

Motherwell had chances to reduce the deficit and apply some pressure but this is a club that is showing resolve. Over the past couple of years they have been dealt blows but, fully-aware of their own worth, they have come back stronger.

But the tests just keep on coming. The biggest yet will be at Ibrox on the 16th.

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