Kilmarnock 3-1 Hearts

A quiet first half sparked into life when the Jambos' Christian Nade was sent off for a foul on Frazer Wright.

Gary Wales blasted his first goal of the season for Killie in 55 minutes, and Colin Nish netted a penalty after 71 following Robbie Neilson's handball.

Willie Gibson made it three in the 77th minute from Anthony Basso's error with Ibrahim Tall heading Hearts' late goal.

Killie were looking to halt their slide after drawing three of their last four league matches.

They were boosted with club captain Garry Hay's return, allowing boss Jim Jefferies to name a more familiar line-up.

The visitors, meanwhile, chose to rest goalkeeper-coach Steve Banks, but a more significant absence was that of injured Laryea Kingston, the midfield playmaker.

French goalkeeper Basso and Finnish striker Juho Makela came into the cosmopolitan line-up, whose recent improvement was interrupted by last weekend's slump at home to Dundee United.

It was a lively start by the visitors, with striker Nade causing some early concern for Kilmarnock.

The hosts struggled to create some momentum, and were nearly punished in the 11th minute.

With both sides struggling to keep their feet in slippery conditions, the busy Nade tried his luck with an overhead kick from 12 yards, but Killie keeper Alan Combe was equal to the task.

Daniele Invincible eventually responded for Kilmarnock, but his header from distance was tipped around the post by Basso, as the game cried out for a major spark to ignite the crowd.

Michael Stewart, who was beginning to impose himself for Hearts, drove a free-kick just beyond the half-hour from 25 yards only for Combe to deny him.

The spark well and truly arrived a minute before the break when Nade was dismissed with a straight red card for a reckless late lunge on Wright.

With a player short the Edinburgh side were required to reshuffle, and Makela was surprisingly replaced by Ricardas Beniusis just a few minutes into the second period.

Killie took full advantage of their extra man, however, to blast in front with a goal worthy of lighting up any game.

Man-of-the-match Wales received a knock down from Nish on the edge of the penalty area and the forward struck a sweet half-volley beyond Basso into the left hand corner of the net.

With the visitors falling off the pace, they were punished with a penalty awarded when Neilson appeared to handle.

Nish calmly converted to put Killie two ahead and Hearts assistant head coach Stephen Frail was sent to the stand immediately afterwards for his protests.

Jim Jefferies' side didn't have to wait long for the third.

The alert Gibson picked up Bassos' shambolic free kick and swiftly shot home into an empty net, thus finishing off the Tynecastle men.

Tall went upfield for Hearts in injury time to head home Andrew Drivers' flighted free kick, but it simply failed to take the sheen off a fully-merited Kilmarnock victory.

Kilmarnock: Combe, Lilley (O'Leary 66), Hay, Wright, Ford, Fowler, Invincibile, Gibson (Taouil 85), Hamill, Nish, Wales (Skora 85). Subs Not Used: Harpur, Bryson, Flannigan, Jarvis.

Booked: Wright, Hamill, Nish, Combe.

Goals: Wales 55, Nish 72 pen, Gibson 77.

Hearts: Basso, Neilson, Goncalves, Tall, Berra, Stewart (Jonsson 82), Makela (Beniusis 52), Driver, Palazuelos, Zaliukas, Nade. Subs Not Used: Kurskis, Velicka, Mikoliunas, McGowan, Pospisil.

Sent Off: Nade (45).

Booked: Driver, Stewart, Zaliukas, Goncalves.

Goals: Tall 90.

Att: 6,373

Ref: W Collum

Taken from the BBC