Kilmarnock 1-2 Hearts: Jambos consign Killie to first home defeat in seven

Jake Mulraney takes on Stephen O'Donnell. Picture: SNS Group

Hearts proved the bogey men to Kilmarnock once more on their own patch last night and in so doing breathed further life into a burgeoning revival, with the Tynecastle side now boasting five wins from their past six games.

First-half goals from Sean Clare and Steven Naismith laid the groundwork for a second win of the season at Rugby Park that severely dented the title challenge of Kilmarnock.

Despite a Jordan Jones penalty on the cusp of the interval, a Craig Levein side exhibiting real resilience and discipline squeezed the life out of their hosts’ concerted second-half efforts to avoid defeat.

Only their third at home this season, Steve Clarke’s men remain six points off Premiership leaders Celtic, and lie behind Rangers on goal difference, having played a game more than the Glasgow clubs.

Indeed, amidst the hoopla about Kilmarnock’s form – Friday night presented them with the opportunity to go second with an unprecedented sixth straight home top-flight league victory – it was easy to forget that Levein’s team had been on the up. Granted, the recent Tynecastle defeat to Dundee was abject. However, that could be dismissed as a blip in a run that produced four wins from five matches.

Yet expectations weren’t exactly high that Rugby Park would bring another victory for Levein’s side.

The Ayrshire club had appeared to do good business in the transfer window with Youssouf Mulumbu returning on loan from Celtic, experienced defender

Alex Bruce recruited, and temporary deals struck for Fleetwood Town striker Connor McAleny and Liverpool youngster Liam Millar.

None of these players were included in Clarke’s starting line-up. And the other notable absentee in the home ranks pointed to the potential issue for Kilmarnock as they attempt to keep pace at the top of the table without the now departed Greg Stewart. A tight hamstring rendered Eamonn Brophy unavailable and with Kris Boyd serving a two-game suspension following his red card at Aberdeen last weekend, Mikael Ndjoli was left to lead the line.

Clarke’s efforts in his 14 months in charge of Kilmarnock have been herculian but they have owed much to the goals plundered by Boyd, Brophy and Stewart. Ndjoli could not offer the same threat.

While Jordan Jones had a couple of ambitious pops as the home side fashioned promising openings, three times Hearts goalkeeper Colin Doyle made blocks from Chris Burke across as many minutes as the first period approached the midpoint.

The Irishman merely required to demonstrate straightforward handling to thwart the grizzled winger but this passage proved to have telling consequences.

Hearts had shown enterprise of their own but never presented serious danger until they found their sang froid 38 minutes in. Callumn Morrison proved the architect in retaining his balance as he was clipped by Alan Power before feeding Arnaud Djoum who instantly released Clare. The midfielder did the rest, sprinting forward before stroking the ball into the corner from 14 yards with arresting precision.

Two minutes later, Levein’s side had their opponents on the rack after Jones conceded a foul with a needless push at the edge of the area.

The free-kick that resulted was brilliantly worked by the visitors, Clare feigning to send the ball right and into the area only to slip it left to Jake Mulraney charging towards the byline.

His fizzed-in centre was an invitation that former Kilmarnock forward Naismith accepted with aplomb by smashing the ball in from six yards.

Jones was given the opportunity to make amends as the opening period entered added

time after Christophe Berra bundled over Power to have referee Steven McLean pointing to the spot. He made no mistake after Doyle dived a day early to allow him to slide it to his left.

The second half witnessed Kilmarnock pushing and Hearts resisting, Levein reconfiguring his back three into a back five as holding on to what they had became the only interest for the Gorgie club.

The increasingly desperate attempts to find an equaliser from Clarke’s men were repelled with admirable application.