Elton Kabangu steers in the first goalSNS

Elton Kabangu has now scored three goals in two games for Hearts

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

Hearts held off a strong Kilmarnock fightback to win a five-goal thriller at Tynecastle Park and leapfrog Derek McInnes' side in the Scottish Premiership.

Elton Kabangu scored after seven minutes on his first league start and the hosts dominated the first half without further testing deputing goalkeeper Kieran O'Hara.

Kilmarnock immediately made them pay in the second half, with Bobby Wales smashing home a volley to bring the score level after 50 minutes.

However, Hearts found a response quickly. James Wilson did brilliantly to win a corner which James Penrice put onto the head of Jamie McCart, with the January signing powering in a header.

Two minutes later, it looks like the hosts had wrapped up proceedings with a bizarre goal. Jorge Grant's initial shot deflected high into the air, but the midfielder got his head to the ball before O'Hara could collect.

Kilmarnock hit back again, as Fraser Murray nodded Danny Armstrong's cross through Craig Gordon's legs at the back post to set up a tense finale.

Both sides threw everything at finding the next goal, but both keepers produced a few fine saves to keep the scoreline as it was, much to Kilmarnock's dismay.

Corner turned as Hearts hold out for vital win

Incredibly, this is just the second time Hearts have beaten Kilmarnock at Tynecastle in 12 games and they were certainly made to work for all three points.

That said, two of the three goals were slightly comical. Kabangu's came about as the result of dreadful mis-hit shots from Grant and Wilson fell to the striker.

The second was a well-worked corner but the third was the result of dreadful goalkeeping.

The hosts should have scored more - which has been a trait of Hearts under Critchley. Musa Drammeh hit the post and had a shot well saved by O'Hara in the second half and had either gone in, they would have wrapped the game up comfortably.

Defensively, they had to deal with the loss of Craig Halkett early on and Lewis Neilson struggled slightly when dropped in.

The young centre-back was on loan at St Johnstone in the first half of the season and will have to deputise while new signing Michael Steinwender finds fitness.

Ultimately, Hearts showed enough grit to hold on with some thanks to more heroics from Craig Gordon in goal - and with four wins in their last five, have perhaps finally turned the corner.

Inconsistent Kilmarnock reveal soft underbelly again

Derek McInnes was not a happy man at half-time, raging with his players from front to back as he seemed to think they weren't doing their jobs.

In truth, Hearts should have been more than 1-0 up at the break but whatever McInnes said, it worked. He also brought on Danny Armstrong - linked with a move to Hearts - who almost dragged Kilmarnock back into the match.

They immediately had more threat on the wings and both goals came down the right-hand side where Armstrong had replaced on-loan debutant Calvin Ramsay.

The Ayrshire side slip down to 11th place but given they sit seven points above St Johnstone, there is no need to panic just yet. They're only five points off the top six and if they can find the consistency they showed last season they should be fine.

Wales also provided a real threat up top and put in another good audition in the competition to be Kilmarnock's main striker.

What they said

Hearts head coach Neil Critchley: "I didn't think we were great all game, we looked a little bit off the pace. We were a bit reactive.

"We normally play with real intensity but our quality, our touch... we misjudged things a little. We were a little bit off it but we scored goals at the right time - and good goals too."

Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes: "I don't think we played that well in the first half, that said, I thought we dealt with Hearts playing the ball forward long and filling channels and winning that first contact.

"We always feel coming to Tynecastle, particularly all my teams that have ever come, if you score two goals you normally either win it or get something for it, and two goals should have been enough to get something for the game."

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