Capital show as Clarke’s boys break Hearts
Frizzell has last say as Jambos prepare for Tynecastle return
A late strike by substitute Adam Frizzell gave Kilmarnock a 2-1 Premiership win over Hearts at Murrayfield yesterday.
Veteran Kilmarnock striker and captain Kris Boyd opened the scoring in the 31st minute with a typically clinical finish.
Isma Goncalves hit the woodwork before and after the Rugby Park side’s opener and then levelled in the 75th minute.
But in the 86th minute, moments after striker Goncalves missed a good chance to give the home side the lead, Frizzell fired in the winner.
He had replaced Chris Burke in the 72nd minute and made the perfect impact.
It was an afternoon of frustration for the hosts who suffered a third successive defeat for the first time this season, while Kilmarnock’s new boss Steve Clarke enjoyed his first victory in four games, albeit two of those games were draws against either side of the Old Firm.
Hearts’ Daniel Baur, 18, was handed his debut in defence alongside returning Connor Randall, with midfielder Don Cowie also back after missing three matches with a calf injury. The visitors were unchanged.
In the fifth minute, Hearts fans applauded in memory of former midfielder Stefano Salvatori, who died on Tuesday at the age of 49. Five was the number he wore when the Jambos won the Scottish Cup in 1998.
And at the same time as they showed their appreciation, Craig Levein’s men almost scored.
Goncalves worked some space in the Killie penalty box but his powerful drive was tipped on to the post by former Hearts goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald.
Killie grew into the match and in the 24th minute Rory McKenzie drew a fine fingertip save from Jon McLaughlin with a drive from the edge of the box.
There was little between the teams until Hearts were undone by a Kirk Broadfoot pass which caught out their defence, allowing 34-year-old Boyd to control the ball and fend off the backtracking Michael Smith before firing a left-footed drive low past McLaughlin from 16 yards.
The home fans roared for a penalty soon after the restartwhen Broadfoot robbed Hearts striker Kyle Lafferty in the box, but that was ignored by referee Kevin Clancy before Boyd was replaced by Lee Erwin.
In the 67th minute, as Hearts pressed, Goncalves drove another shot against the Kilmarnock post and Lafferty’s drive with the rebound was blocked.
However, Goncalves was not to be denied – his curling effort from inside the box flying past MacDonald and into the far corner of the net.
MacDonald then blocked a Goncalves strike when it looked like the Tynecastle men would snatch the win. But Killie ran up the park and grabbed all three points through Frizzell.