Hearts 1 Kilmarnock 0

A first-half goal by Edgaras Jankauskas gave managerless Hearts a narrow win over Kilmarnock at Tynecastle and extended their unbeaten league run to 12 games.

The home side were not in top form for most of a hard-fought match but 10 minutes from the interval when midfielder Rudi Skacel sent the Lithuanian clear of the visiting defence with a clever pass, there was no doubting the quality of the finish from around 16 yards out.

The second half was more even but despite some nerves in the closing stages interim boss John McGlynn guided his charges through to their second victory in five days since he took over from the departed George Burley.

The Edinburgh side remain three points clear of second-placed Celtic but the points seem to becoming more difficult to attain.

Majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov was given a very subdued greeting from the fans when he took his seat in the directors' box just before the game started.

The uncertainty surrounding the managerless Tynecastle club seemed to have filtered through to the players and the visitors took Hearts by surprise with the ferocity of their start.

Before two minutes was played Steven Naismith had forced his way into the Jambos box and slammed an angled shot from 14 yards into the side-netting.

However, the home side were soon into gear and in the fifth minute Skacel set up Jamie McAllister, who tested Killie keeper Graeme Smith with a stinging 25-yard drive which the youngster parried before Frazer Wright cleared.

In the 10th minute, after Skacel was hauled to the ground just outside the Killie penalty area by Gary McDonald, McAllister's thunderous shot was again well saved by Smith.

However, there was a huge claim for a penalty when midfielder Rhian Dodds appeared to block Hearts stand-in skipper Andy Webster from following in to net the rebound but referee Stuart Dougal waved play on.

Then, to continue the early excitement, Jambos striker Michal Pospisil's back-post header from a Skacel free-kick went just past the post.

The league leaders continued to dominate but the groans of frustration from the home fans in the sell-out crowd grew as the breakthrough refused to arrive.

However, in the 35th minute, just when the Jambos looked to have lost some of their momentum, they eventually got the opener.

The tireless Skacel sent Jankauskas through on the right hand side of the Killie penalty area and the big Lithuanian calmly stroked the ball past Smith from around 16 yards out.

Moments later however, as the Gorgie faithful continued their celebrations, Kris Boyd came close with a snap-shot which just inches wide of Craig Gordon's left-hand post.

Just before the interval some careless work by the Jambos defence almost allowed Naismith in to header past Gordon from close range but the youngster lacked real belief in his effort which the Scotland keeper gratefully gathered.

There was some drama at half-time when referee Stuart Dougal felt too ill to continue and was replaced by fourth official Stevie O'Reilly with grade one referee William Collum taking over his duties after responding to a tannoy appeal.

The home side started confidently enough but the swirling wind was making conditions difficult for both sets of players despite their desire to keep the ball on the ground.

The game was becoming bogged down to an extent but the home side did have a good chance to double their lead in the 52nd minute.

McAllister's driven cross to the back post was met by the unmarked Jankauskas but this time the big striker's aim was out and his weak header went over the bar.

The visitors were coming back into the game and on the hour mark midfielder Danny Invincibile's volley from close range appeared to strike Webster's arm six yards from goal but referee O'Reilly ignored the appeals from the visitors.

The Gorgie side were roared on by their fans but the cushion of a second goal did not appear to be on the horizon.

However, in the 67th minute, after Hearts defender Robbie Neilson floated a cross into the Killie penalty area, Pospisil shrugged off the attention of Rugby Park defender Gordon Greer but his shot from close range was well saved by Smith before the danger was eventually cleared.

Play raged from end to end, Webster and Skacel both had efforts on goal but still Kilmarnock kept within touching distance of the Edinburgh men.

With the league leaders failing to add to such a fragile lead, tensions inside Tynecastle mounted in the latter stages.

McAllister missed a sitter in injury-time, slicing the ball past the post from 12 yards out but in the end three more valuable points remained in Gorgie.

Teams

Hearts Gordon, Neilson, Webster, Berra, Fyssas, Cesnauskis (Camazzola 75), Brellier, McAllister, Skacel (Wallace 84), Pospisil, Jankauskas (Elliot 80).

Subs Not Used: Banks, Simmons, Mikoliunas, Tall.

Goals: Jankauskas 35.

Kilmarnock Smith, Fowler, Wright, Greer, Hay, Invincibile, McDonald, Dodds (Wales 71), Johnston, Boyd (Murray 75), Naismith.

Subs Not Used: Bell, Di Giacomo, Campbell, Jamie Adams, Flannigan.

Att: 16,536

Ref: S Dougal (Scotland).

Taken from sportinglife.com