Kilmarnock 0 Hearts 1

The hitman turned home Michael Ngoo’s early cutback for his eighth goal of the season to seal a battling away win for the Jambos — only their second of the campaign.

Killie mounted a second-half charge but they couldn’t find a way through the Jambos backline, with Jamie MacDonald pulling off a great late stop to deny Kris Boyd.

Rugby Park boss Kenny Shiels made two changes to the side that fell at the final hurdle in the race for the top six in a 2-1 defeat to Dundee in their last game.

Former Celtic kid Rabiu Ibrahim came in for his first start for the club, while centre-back Ryan O’Leary returned to the line-up after three games on the bench.

Borja Perez and Garry Hay dropped out of the starting XI.

Hearts romped to an impressive 4-2 victory over Ross County in their final game before the split. But that didn’t stop gaffer Gary Locke making four changes.

In came Andy Webster, Jason Holt, Darren Barr and Sutton, with Mehdi Taouil, Brad McKay and Dale Carrick dropping to the bench and Callum Tapping left out.

The Jambos were first to threaten, with Jamie Walker sending a tame long-range effort wide early on And with just four minutes gone they were ahead when Ngoo got on the end of a long ball, beat Momo Sissoko and held the ball up before squaring for strike partner Sutton to bundle in from a couple of yards.

On-loan Liverpool hitman Ngoo had the ball in the back of the net shortly afterwards, but referee Calum Murray’s whistle had already blown — correctly — for offside.

Little Ibrahim almost played Paul Heffernan in with a clever through ball after 20 minutes, but Jambos keeper Jamie MacDonald got there before the Rugby Park frontman.

Home left-back Jeroen Tesselaar got on the end of a ball forward from stopper O’Leary five minutes later, but he couldn’t get enough on his header and the ball spun wide.

Killie were shading possession now, but they couldn’t turn it into clear-cut chances for strike duo Heffernan and Boyd.

Heffernan did get a rare sniff after 35 minutes when Tesselaar charged down Jamie Hamill’s attempted clearance then crossed, but Darren Barr was there to block.

At the other end, Walker created space before lashing an 18-yard shot wide of Cammy Bell’s post.

Seconds later the Hearts midfielder tried his luck from distance again, with Bell initially spilling his effort before grabbing onto the ball at the second attempt. Killie gaffer Shiels made two changes at the break, with Tessealaar and Ibrahim making way for Chris Johnston and Borja Perez.

James Fowler sent a poor shot wide from the edge of the box after being teed up by Heffernan.

Hearts made their first switch two minutes later, with Ngoo going off for Carrick.

The Jambos sub tried to make an immediate impression as he blazed a low effort from distance wide within seconds of being introduced.

Two minutes later he tried his luck from long range again, with Bell dropping to his knees to gather easily.

It was hard to see where the next goal was coming from though — until Sissoko challenged Walker in the box on the hour mark and ref Murray blew for a penalty.

The home supporters were fuming with the whistler’s decision, but Hearts midfielder Ryan Stevenson didn’t care as he stepped up to take the award.

He was left with his head in his hands though, as Bell dived to parry his spot-kick, with Jason Holt knocking the rebound wide.

Killie tried to build on that let-off and Mark O’Hara sent an overhead kick wide after Johnston mis-hit a shot in his direction.

Ross Barbour became the first player to go into Murray’s book for a 69th-minute foul on Walker.

Shiels made his third and final sub, with defender O’Leary making way for attacker William Gros.

Hearts sent on Arvy Novikovas for Jamie Walker as gaffer Locke looked to kill the game off.

Killie kept pushing and Johnston tried to pick out Boyd with a cross, but Danny Wilson got in ahead of the former Scotland striker to thump clear in the 80th minute.

Boyd should have done much better when he got the clear sniff of goal he craved two minutes later.

The striker got on the end of a brilliant cross from Johnston, only to head down into the ground from a few yards, with the ball bouncing up and spinning over the bar.

Sammy Clingan then blazed a great 30-yard free-kick just inches wide of MacDonald’s left-hand post with five minutes left to play after Barr had been penalised.

Barr did brilliantly to snuff out Heffernan when he went to pull the trigger two minutes later.

It was all Killie and MacDonald pulled off a brilliant save to keep out a Boyd shot after the hitman got on the end of Sissoko’s flick.

Heffernan’s effort from the resulting corner was scrambled away as Hearts clung onto their lead.

With full-time looming, MacDonald punched a Johnston free-kick out, with the ball eventually dropping to O’Hara 20 yards out, but his rocket shot zipped inches wide.

Hearts almost nabbed a second goal right at the death, but Carrick couldn’t get himself on the end of Holt’s cutback.