Kilmarnock 1 Hearts 0
EWING GRAHAME
Published: 26th December 2012

KENNY SHIELS may find being banned from the dugout has been a blessing in disguise.

The Kilmarnock manager ended a three-game touchline ban with this defeat of Hearts.

Killie had won only three of their last 12 games and Shiels, having taken seven points from his time in the stand, might want to consider staying there.

Scotland midfielder Liam Kelly’s first-half penalty also stretched their unbeaten run against the Jambos to seven games.

Hearts did stage a late rally in search of an equaliser but Killie deserved the victory.

For John McGlynn’s side, though, the travel sickness continues. They’ve won just one of their last 12 away league games and they’ll need to find a cutting edge if they are to improve on that at Ross County this weekend.

Shiels brought in Rory McKeown and Kelly for Jeroen Tesselaar and Gary Harkins from the team which drew with Hibs on Sunday.

Hearts had one change from the side which beat Dundee United, Mehdi Taouil replacing Dylan McGowan, while Scott Robinson was a sub for the first time since refusing to sit on the bench against Aberdeen on December 8.

Paul Heffernan had the ball in the net after 15 minutes, stroking a defence-splitting pass from Borja Perez past Jamie MacDonald as he left his line, only to have the ‘goal’ chalked off for offside.

Ryan Stevenson replied with a piledriver which took a deflection off Gordon Smith, forcing Cammy Bell into a superb reflex save.

However, the home side were handed the initiative in the 25th minute when Andy Webster was sold a dummy by James Dayton and clumsily tripped the winger.

Kelly had scored a double, including one from the spot, at Aberdeen before serving a one-game ban against Hibs and he made no mistake with his penalty here, firing it low past MacDonald.

The Jambos then had a goal chalked off on the half-hour. Smith’s rocket from 18 yards beat Bell but the shot came a split second after referee Steven McLean had blown for a foul by John Sutton.

Spanish playmaker Perez picked up a knock and was replaced by Lee Johnson eight minutes before half-time.

Driver then set up a chance for Smith with a cross from the left but the hitman headed wide. The winger tried a solo effort in the 48th minute, cutting inside to send a curler towards the postage-stamp corner, forcing Bell to turn it over the bar.

The Killie keeper then needed treatment for several minutes after taking a boot in the face from Sutton after the striker had made a legitimate challenge for a loose ball.

At the other end, Dayton posed a threat again when MacDonald could only parry his dipping effort from the far corner of the 18-yard box but the rebound was scrambled to safety. It was end-to-end stuff and Bell pulled off another fine save when he kept out a venomous volley from Taouil.

Substitute Calum Paterson almost made an immediate impact with his first touch.

Ryan McGowan’s cross fell perfectly for the youngster but his netbound shot was deflected wide by James Fowler.

However, the 18-year-old should have levelled the scores in the 72nd minute.

Mo Sissoko gifted him the ball on the halfway line and he then skipped past Michael Nelson when the centre-half dived in. That left him with only keeper Bell to beat but he seemed to panic.

He shot much too early, and weakly, from 25 yards when he could and should have taken the ball further in.

His attempt was comfortably saved by the keeper but it signalled the start of intense pressure from the visitors.

Paterson and Sissoko were both yellow-carded for jostling at a set-piece as the tempo got even faster.

Lithuanian sub Arvydas Novikovas fired wide from 18 yards and then Marius Zaliukas saw a 15-yard drive deflected over by Killie skipper Manuel Pascali.

Hearts captain Zaliukas then found himself booked as he barged Heffernan to the ground as he chased a hopeful punt upfield.

Zaliukas was the last man and the home fans were screaming for a red card.

But there was no way that Heffernan would have reached the ball so the referee was right to restrict himself to a booking.

Pascali then took one for the team when he took out

Paterson as he burst down the right flank and earned himself a yellow card.