Hearts 0 Kilmarnock 2

By Chris Roberts, PA Sport

Kilmarnock clinched their fourth victory in five games to sink a poor Hearts side who suffered the worst possible preparation for Thursday's vital UEFA Cup first round second leg clash against VfB Stuttgart at Tynecastle.

A superb strike from Paul Wright set the visitors on their way and a second-half header from Frederic Dindeleux wrapped up the points and maintained Kilmarnock's fourth place in the Premier League, three points behind Rangers.

But Jim Jefferies's side had everything to play for before the game with fourth place up for grabs, but they seemed to get stage-fright in front of the Sky television cameras and it did nothing to inspire hope ahead of the visit of the Germans.

Stuttgart come to Edinburgh defending a one-goal lead and their watching scouts will be reporting back to Germany with some great news because on this form Hearts have no chance of being in the draw for the second round.

There was nothing they could do as Kilmarnock started with bags of confidence as the found themselves with a lot of possession while the home side struggled to get on the ball.

So it was no surprise when they made the dream start with a superb goal from Wright in the fifth minute.

Ian Durrant found Alan Mahood, who teed the ball into the path of the striker just outside the area and he hit a low right-foot shot past Antti Niemi's despairing dive into the bottom corner.

The visitors continued to press and Gary Holt came within inches of doubling their lead two minutes later when his hopeful effort from the edge of the box looped just over.

But Hearts did threaten the Kilmarnock goal in the 13th minute when Gary McSwegan got to the byline and swung in a cross to the far post which Thomas Flogel reached, but he was stretching and could only head into the crowd behind the goal.

Colin Cameron then tried to catch Gordon Marshall off guard in the 15th minute when Flogel knocked the ball down to him just outside the area, but the midfielder's dipping effort was comfortably saved low by the Kilmarnock goalkeeper.

The home defence were again caught napping in the 22nd minute and fortunately on this occasion they were let off the hook when the unmarked Wright got on the end of Andy McLaren's corner, but he headed wide of the upright.

But Kilmarnock looked the more likely side to score again and in the 39th minute only the heroics of Niemi in the Hearts goal saved his side going further behind.

McLaren's corner was met by Chris Innes inside the box and his looping header looked destined for the top corner, but the former Rangers goalkeeper somehow stretched to get a fingertip to the ball to push it over the bar.

Kilmarnock continued to lay siege to the Hearts goal and moments later Ally Mitchell hit a fierce volley from McLaren's corner over the bar, as the home crowd continued to vent their anger at the players and Jefferies.

Jefferies would have made his feelings known in the dressing room at the break and he introduced Gary Locke and Robbie Neilson at the break for the ineffective Simpson and Grant Murray.

But it did not have the desired effect as just two minutes into the second half Kilmarnock doubled their lead through Frenchman Dindeleux after Gordan Petric had conceded a corner.

McLaren played it short to Wright, who laid the ball back to the winger to deliver a superb cross into the Hearts box, and once again the Kilmarnock defender went unchallenged as he coolly planted a header past Niemi into the corner of the net.

The home side tried to make a quick-fire reply just two minutes later as Juanjo found Cameron in the centre of the field, but the midfielder's dipping effort sailed over the bar.

Jefferies tried to freshen up his side by replacing Jackson with Kris O'Neil in the 57th minute, but their frustration was beginning to show and three minutes later Flogel was shown the yellow card for dissent.

Hearts defender Petric tried to get his side back into the match with a free-kick from 25 yards, but his right-foot effort whistled over the Kilmarnock bar.

Kilmarnock's Innes became the next man in the referee's notebook with a late tackle on Juanjo and Locke followed him with a reckless challenge on Mahood.

Substitute Craig Dargo could have grabbed Kilmarnock's third goal in the 82nd minute when Petric made a hash of Christophe Cocard's cross, but the former Raith man blazed wide from close range.

Mitchell also tried to get in the act in the 88th minute when Cocard found him with a cross from the left wing, but he dragged his snap-shot effort wide of the upright.

Hearts almost grabbed a consolation in the last minute as Dindeleux got back to head Juanjo's chip off the line, but it was the visitors who were returning to Ayrshire with the points while Jefferies will be left with plenty to think about.

Hearts: Niemi, Murray (Locke 46), Pressley, Petric, Naysmith, Simpson (Neilson 46), Cameron, Jackson (O'Neil 57), McSwegan,Juanjo, Flogel.

Subs Not Used: Rousset, Kirk.

Booked: Flogel, Locke.

Kilmarnock: Marshall, MacPherson, Dindeleux, Innes, Hay, Mitchell, Durrant, Holt (Fowler 90), Mahood, McLaren (Dargo 80), Wright (Cocard 68).

Subs Not Used: Meldrum, Di Giacomo.

Booked: Innes.

Goals: Wright 5, Dindeleux 46.

Att: 10,379



Taken from sportinglife.com