Kilmarnock 0 Hearts 3

A terrific opening 45 minutes by Jim Jefferies' side confirmed that their early season form has been no fluke.

They completely overwhelmed a poor Kilmarnock side that gives the manager Bobby Williamson a few problems to solve before his side's second leg European Cup Winners' Cup tie against Nice on Thursday.

Right from the start, the Tynecastle side looked as if they meant business with Steve Fulton dictating things in midfield.

The former Celtic player had a hand in almost all of the visitors' attacks. In the opening five minutes he had two efforts at goal and set up the opening goal.

His in-swinging corner from the right was met at the near post by David Weir, his header giving goalkeeper Colin Meldrum no chance.

Minutes later Fulton was denied himself when Meldrum dived to his right to punch away his header.

But there was no stopping the visitors and in the 14th minute Jim Hamilton scored a cracking second. Stephane Adam laid the ball in his path 20 yards out and the big striker smashed the ball low into the corner of the net.

Killie's top scorer Paul Wright almost reduced the leeway with the curling free kick, but the ball was inches off target.

Then Gilles Rousset pulled off a great save under the crossbar when Steve Hamilton powered in a 25-yard shot.

Killie's attempts at goal were few and far between, although a header from Frenchman Jerome Vareille after 38 minutes was inches wide.

But it was the visitors once again who found the target two minutes from the interval.

A header from Jim Hamilton was deftly flicked inside the post by Adam to put the Edinburgh side into easy street.

Killie began the second half with youngsters David Bagan and Alex Burke on for veterans Pat Nevin and Ray Montgomerie.

That gave the Ayrshire side a more attacking thrust but they still found it difficult to bring down a resolute defence.

In the end the three goal margin proved too much for Kilmarnock and they were fortunate at the end not to lose by a larger margin.

Rousset was certainly busier in the second half but he was troubled only on a few occasions.

Teams:

Kilmarnock: Meldrum, MacPherson, Whitworth, McGowne, Montgomerie (Bagan 45), Reilly, Mitchell, Hamilton, Wright (Roberts 79), Vareille, Nevin (Burke 45).

Booked: McGowne, Montgomerie.

Hearts: Rousset, McManus, Pointon, Weir, Salvatori (Locke 85), Ritchie, McCann, Fulton, Hamilton, Cameron (Frail 85), Adam (Flogel 85).

Booked: McManus.

Goals: Adam 43, Hamilton 14, Weir 6.

Att: 7,875

Ref: K Clark (Paisley).

Taken from sportinglife.com