Scottish Premiership: Heart of Midlothian 2-0 Hamilton Accies

Hearts cut the gap between themselves and Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic to three points with victory over Hamilton Academical.

Prince Buaben scored with a shot from outside the area as its awkward bounce evaded keeper Michael McGovern.

Arnaud Djoum took advantage of poor defending to double the lead before half-time.

Hamilton failed to conjure up a comeback with the better chances falling to Hearts in the second half.

The result means Hearts stretch their unbeaten league run to six matches, and remain in second place.

In a first half that was at times ill-tempered, the home side dominated.

The visitors were rarely able to test Neil Alexander in the Hearts goal and have now gone five games without a win.

Accies had inflicted Hearts' first defeat of the season back in August in a controversial match that included a red card for Callum Paterson.

There appeared to be some lingering bad feeling from that encounter with a physical edge to both teams' play.

Arnaud Djoum (third right) races away to celebrate putting Hearts 2-0 ahead

Buaben put Hearts ahead with a powerfully-struck low drive from 25 yards, which McGovern may feel he should have kept out in front of watching Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill.

Alexander saved superbly from a glancing Carlton Morris header just prior to Hearts taking a stranglehold on the game.

The impressive Sam Nicholson swept a cross to the back post, Antons Kurakins failed to deal with it and Osman Sow showed great composure to take a touch before selflessly setting up Djoum for an easy close-range finish.

A home victory was never in doubt thereafter and McGovern kept the scoreline respectable, saving well from Paterson's free kick and twice denying Sow what would have been a deserved goal for his efforts.

Accies may point to a decision from referee Bobby Madden to book Morris for diving when it looked as though he might have earned a penalty for a challenge by Blazej Augustyn.

However, Martin Canning's side, though not out-classed, were second best as Hearts eased to a fourth successive league win.