Last night Andy Driver got Hearts out of a jam.

The England Under-21 star fired Hearts to a first win of the season with a sensational 31st minute winner in his first start of the campaign.

This game was rescheduled after the Killie team bus got stuck in the motorway chaos on the M8 on Saturday.

Hearts were dealt a pre-match blow when Hungarian keeper Janos Balogh took ill.

That meant a start for Marian Kello while Ian Black and Christian Nade were dropped to the bench with Ruben Palazuelos and Driver, fully recovered from the heel and hamstring injuries that had blighted him, back in.

Killie boss Jim Jefferies handed a debut to on-loan Celtic keeper Mark Brown. Kevin Kyle was fit after his knee surgery but started on the bench.

Hearts made a lively start but it was Killie who had the first chance, Conor Sammon firing over from just inside the box after four minutes.

That seemed to lift the Ayrshire men as they started to take control of the game.

Mehdi Taouil delivered a fantastic ball in from the right but the unmarked Gavin Skelton sent his header from 15 yards over.

DRIVING FORCE ... Andy Driver watches his shot hit the net for Hearts' winner

DRIVING FORCE ... Andy Driver watches his shot hit the net for Hearts' winner

Craig Bryson was a threat driving forward from the left of midfield but his bid to pick out Jamie Hamill at the back post was punched clear by Kello.

Gary Glen was ploughing a lone furrow up front for the Jambos while at the other end Sammon picked up a loose ball inside the area but his snap shot was straight at the keeper.

The Jambos were at their most threatening on the break and Brown had to push Suso's shot away for a corner.

Bryson went up the other end, cut inside and pulled a low shot a couple of yards wide much to his frustration.

Killie then played a huge part in their own downfall as Driver struck.

Stopper Frazer Wright was robbed by Palazuelos who played the ball forward.

The Killie defence failed to clear their lines as the ball bobbled on the edge of the area and Driver stepped in to hook a right-foot shot into the top left corner.

The goal gave the home team a new lease of life and moments later, Glen headed a Wallace cross just over.

Full-back Craig Thomson then got in on the act, forcing Brown to punch his awkward, swerving long-range effort away.

Killie came close to levelling just before the break. Sammon knocked on Tim Clancy's long throw but David Fernandez couldn't keep his header down.

Thomson was making just his third appearance for the Jambos and looked impressive in defence as well as in attack and he sent another shot from distance whistling just over.

Killie came within an inch of levelling when Kello managed to get a fingertip to Bryson's daisy cutter and touch the ball on to the post.

But Brown managed to better that save with a wonder stop in the 50th minute when he somehow got his left hand to Suso's point-blank header.

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Hearts continued to drive forward with Glen firing straight at Brown before skipper Michael Stewart blasted over.

Killie gaffer Jefferies had seen enough and he threw on talisman striker Kyle after 55 minutes. He immediately caused problems in the air.

The game was end to end and Suso scraped the post with a low shot from 18 yards.

Kyle had already seen one header go just wide and moments later he tried to find the top corner only to see Kello somehow claw the ball out of the postage stamp before clattering into the post.

David Obua had a great chance at the other end but headed over.

Kyle hit the side netting and Sammon fired over as Killie went all out for an equaliser but it proved to be in vain.

Hearts: Kello 8, Thomson 7, Bouzid 7, Goncalves 7, Wallace 7, Suso 8, Stewart 6, Palazuelos 7, Obua 6, Glen 7, Driver 8. Subs: Nade 2, Kucharski 1

Kilmarnock: Brown 8, Clancy 6, Ford 6, Wright 6, Hay 7, Taouil 6, Hamill 7, Skelton 7, Bryson 7, Fernandez 6, Sammon 6. Subs: Kyle 7, Invincible 4, Owens 1