Kilmarnock to challenge Gary Dicker red as Hearts stay top after 1-0 win

Steve Clarke is "sure" Kilmarnock will win their appeal against Gary Dicker's red card in the defeat by Hearts.

Dicker was dismissed for a challenge on Callumn Morrison before Uche Ikpeazu headed the only goal of the game to give Hearts a third win out of three in the Premiership.

"It's obviously disappointing when you feel that a refereeing decision costs you at least one point," said Clarke.

"Probably heading for 0-0, 11 against 11. I couldn't see us losing the game."

Goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald denied Hearts' Jimmy Dunne and Olly Lee in the first half and Steven MacLean in the second.

Ikpeazu nodded off the top of the crossbar before his goal and team-mate Steven Naismith hit the post with a late effort as Hearts consigned Kilmarnock to their first league defeat of the campaign.

Hearts win battle of wills

This game pitted the sides that finished fifth and sixth in the Premiership last season. It always looked like being a tight match.

Hearts edged it in terms of chances in a stop-start, frustrating first half where entertainment was at a premium.

The big moment came in the second half. Was Dicker's red card merited? Difficult to say from the stand but referee Willie Collum was in no doubt. Clarke was not happy about the decision with the club confirming an appeal would be submitted.

It became a test of character for both sides - could Kilmarnock hold on for a point? Would Hearts find a way through?

In the end, Hearts would get a big goal through their big striker Ikpeazu, the delight clear as he rushed to the technical area to celebrate with his fellow players and technical staff after glancing home Peter Haring's cross.

The celebrations underlined the feel-good factor that clearly exists at Hearts right now as they continue their 100% start to their Premiership campaign.

Pitch debate rumbles on

Plastic pitches have been a talking point at the start of the Premiership season with three of the 12 top-flight clubs having artificial surfaces.

Kilmarnock will rip up theirs at the end of the season. The question is, what will replace it?

No decision has been made and all options are on the table.

What is for sure is that key Kilmarnock director Billy Bowie is a fan of the artificial pitch and manager Steve Clarke has also defended its merits.

Bowie earlier this year emphasised that results in the past year have been generally good and Rugby Park is something of a community hub, with the pitch available for use by local groups and giving the club an income stream.

The Killie players can also train on it, which saves costs of paying for training facilities elsewhere, though in the long term the club want to build a bespoke training centre.

'The referee won the game' - manager reaction

Kilmarnock manager Steve Clarke: "Although the big striker Ikpeazu scored the winner, I think the referee won the game.

"I'm sure Gary will get off on appeal. I'm disappointed with an experienced match official who couldn't wait to get the card out his pocket before he'd assessed and thought about the situation."

Hearts manager Craig Levein: "I felt we deserved to win the match. We dominated the match in the first half. The second half, we had more of the ball but obviously because of the sending off and we created more chances.

"Uche Ikpeazu loves celebrating goals, he loves scoring goals. He wasn't at his best last week against Dunfermline but certainly he was back to his best today and I'm thrilled for him, for the players and also, very importantly, for the supporters that came down."