Kilmarnock suffered their first defeat in four SPL outings as Hearts
secured their first win in five.
Kilmarnock more than held their own for an hour but an inspired
substitution helped Hearts take the lead through Kirk 20 minutes into the
second period.
Stamp added a second and though Gary McSwegan pulled a late goal back
for Killie, Craig Levein's side had done enough to earn all three points.
Hearts applied the early pressure with three corners inside the first
five minutes as visiting goalkeeper Francois Dubourdeau looked
increasingly uncomfortable after flapping at an early pass-back from
defender Gordon Greer.
But the home side were dealt a massive blow when skipper Steven
Pressley limped off after just 20 minutes of his comeback.
Kilmarnock began to enjoy a greater slice of the possession and they
should have made the breakthrough on the half-hour mark when Freddie
Dindeleux's header forward evaded the Hearts defence to send Kris Boyd
clear but Craig Gordon rushed from his line to block the striker's effort
from close range.
Kilmarnock continued to push forward and, in the 33rd minute, came
within inches of taking the lead.
Colin Nish picked up the ball 40 yards out and unleashed a tremendous
drive, which Gordon did superbly well to tip over the bar.
Four minutes later, Mark de Vries took Severin's pass with his back to
goal and turned marker Garry Hay with one touch but his stinging volley
flashed across goal and wide.
Five minutes before the break, Severin got Hearts' first shot in on
target but Dubourdeau held the effort safely to his chest.
Kilmarnock carved out three gilt-edged opportunities
within the first three minutes of the second half.
First, Stephen Murray's shot was deflected by defender Patrick Kisnorbo
and, with Gordon scrambling across his goal, the ball dropped just over
the bar.
From the resulting corner, Greer's header ricocheted into the path of
Boyd but his shot was hacked off the line by Alan Maybury.
Then, Boyd played Peter Canero into space in the box but the
midfielder's shot was too straight and Gordon beat the effort away.
The Tynecastle side responded well to go close themselves.
A Paul Hartley free-kick was met by Phil Stamp's glancing header but
Dubourdeau stretched to tip over the bar.
Hearts head coach Craig Levein made a double substitution on the hour
mark, with De Vries and Austin McCann making way for Neil MacFarlane and
Robbie Neilson, with Kevin McKenna moving up front.
The move paid immediate dividends for the home side as they took the
lead four minutes later.
Stamp's long ball picked out the run of McKenna and the Canadian
international kept the ball in on the by-line before swinging in a wicked
cross. Kirk reacted first and his header from the edge of the six-yard box
gave Dubourdeau no chance.
Killie boss Jim Jefferies took a gamble with 17 minutes remaining as he
threw on McSwegan for midfielder Gary McDonald and went with three up
front.
But almost immediately the game was put out of their reach. There were
calls for a penalty as Paul Hartley went down in the box but as referee
Iain Brines waved aside the appeals, Stamp latched on to the loose ball
and bulleted a shot into the bottom corner of the net.
Killie deservedly earned themselves a consolation in injury-time when
Gary McSwegan drilled past Gordon, but all those earlier
missed chances cost them dearly in the end.
,Dindeleux, Hay, Canero, Fulton
