Hearts 2 Kilmarnock 0

By Ronnie Esplin, PA Sport

Hearts secured a place in the UEFA Cup next season after a 2-0 win over Kilmarnock at Tynecastle.

The home side were subdued by the dogged visitors until the 70th minute when midfielder Paul Hartley curled an unstoppable set-piece from 25 yards past Alan Combe.

Defender Christophe Berra, a surprise starter at the exclusion of Andy Webster, scored his first goal for the club with four minutes to go to secure the points.

The result guarantees European football but the second-placed Jambos still have their sights set on a Champions League spot.

Third-placed Rangers' draw with Aberdeen at Ibrox means Hearts are now five points clear with four games to go, with the sides scheduled to meet on the last day of the season.

Edgaras Jankauskas headed a long throw by defender Robbie Neilson over the bar from 10 yards out after five minutes but Kilmarnock, moving the ball around confidently, showed that they were not at Tynecastle merely as make-weights.

In the ninth minute Killie defender Garry Hay slammed a 20-yard free-kick off the Jambos' defensive wall.

Allan Johnston lobbed the rebound into the penalty area where Steven Naismith, looking suspiciously offside, headed weakly at goalkeeper Craig Gordon from 10 yards out.

That stung the home side into an immediate response. A minute later Jankauskas' close-range drive was brilliantly blocked by Combe and then striker Roman Bednar somehow managed to knock the ball over the bar from just six yards out with the goal empty.

In the 25th minute Jambos defender Jose Goncalves hobbled off to be replaced by Senegalese full-back Ibrahim Tall, who made his debut after signing from Sochaux last summer when George Burley was in charge.

The Edinburgh side were now pressing for the opener with increasing vigour but Skacel's left-footed drive from 30 yards, which flew high and wide, smacked a little of desperation.

Just before the break Berra seemed to flick the heels of Danny Invincibile as the Killie midfielder bore down on goal, but referee Eddie Smith waved play on.

Kilmarnock, perhaps still harbouring a sense of injustice after being denied such a crucial decision, started the second half brightly and the home side struggled to get back into their stride.

And when the Edinburgh men did go forward there was an impressive determination about the Killie rearguard not to concede.

In the 63rd minute a fine move involving Bednar and Jankauskas ended with

the strong-running Hartley latching onto the Lithuanian's pass inside the box but the Scotland midfielder lifted his volley from 12 yards over the bar.

However, in the 70th minute the home side got their noses in front with Hartley's third attempt from a free-kick of the match.

After Gordon Greer had fouled Skacel 25 yards from goal, the Scotland midfielder curled a shot past the flailing Combe for his 15th goal of the season.

Tynecastle rocked in jubilation for the following minutes but Kilie fought back and the home side had Gordon to thank when he saved Naismith's close-range effort following a melee in the box.

Then, in the 86th minute, Berra popped up in a crowded area to head home his first goal for the club.

Teams:

Hearts Gordon, Neilson, Berra, Goncalves (Tall 25), Fyssas,Mikoliunas (Cesnauskis 63), Hartley, Aguiar, Skacel,Jankauskas (Elliot 75), Bednar.

Subs Not Used: Banks, Camazzola, Pospisil, Petras.

Goals: Hartley 70, Berra 87.

Kilmarnock Combe, Wright, Ford, Greer, Hay, Invincibile,Johnston, Fowler, Naismith, Wales, Nish.

Subs Not Used: Smith, McDonald, Locke, Di Giacomo, Leven,

Campbell, Bell.

Booked: Fowler, Nish, Naismith, Ford.

Att: 16,497

Ref: E Smith (Scotland).

Taken from sportinglife.com