10-man Killie hang on to boost Tynecastle record

HEARTS 2 KILMARNOCK 3

Hearts’ home hoodoo against Kilmarnock continued as Daniel Stendel’s men succumbed to a breathless 3-2 defeat at Tynecastle.

Goals from Stuart Findlay, Chris Burke and Eamonn Brophy secured a fourth successive victory in Gorgie for the Ayrshire outfit, while their overall unbeaten run in Edinburgh’s west end stretches back to December 2016.

Killie ended the game with 10 men following the foolish dismissal of goalkeeper Laurentiu Branescu and endured a nervous finish following goals from Sean Clare and Craig Halkett.

But they held firm to claim a second win on the bounce under Alex Dyer and ensure Hearts returned to the bottom of the Ladbrokes Premiership.

Stendel handed a first start to January signing Marcel Langer, while Steven Naismith led the line 15 years to the day since scoring his first senior goal – at Tynecastle – for Kilmarnock.

The visitors claimed the lead midway through the first half with a header from Findlay and Burke doubled the advantage before half-time.

Hearts were afforded a way back into the game when Conor Washington raced on to a flick-on by fellow substitute Uche Ikpeazu, only to be flattened by Branescu. Referee David Munro pointed to the spot and Clare slotted home the resulting penalty.

The keeper then hurled the ball away as Clare sought to collect it from the net, and the Romanian received his second booking in 60 seconds.

Substitute goalkeeper Jan Koprivec replaced Rory Mckenzie and a miraculous comeback seemed on when Halkett found space in the box to meet a Jamie Walker delivery to net his seventh goal of the campaign.

But resolute Killie held firm to claim all three points from a thrilling affair.