Manager Jefferies knowing an even bigger match lies ahead on Weds Vs
Hearts in the cup, he appeared to "rest" Ford & Invincible & with Colin
Nish not being available, therefore he made 3 changes to the team that
drew 2-2 at
Tynecastle last Sat in the cup.
Mikoliunas gave Hearts the lead after 15 minutes, when he latched
onto a Stephen Simmons free-kick and rounded the 'keeper before firing
home.
The home side doubled their lead 10 minutes later, when Killie's
James Fowler sent the ball into his own net.
Hearts made it 3-0 after the break, when Lee Miller netted with a
fine strike from the edge of the box.
Steven Naismith had netted his first goal for Killie to earn a
Scottish Cup replay with Hearts last week and the 18-year-old was keen
to see his name on the scoresheet again.
He met a Stephen Murray flick 30 yards out but his long-range drive
fell just wide of the post.
That spurred Hearts into action and they had the best of the chances
after that.
Mikoliunas tried to square into the path of the on-rushing Dennis
Wyness, but Killie goalkeeper Alan Combe managed to intercept the move
before he could connect.
However, Hearts did not have to wait too much longer for the opener
when Mikoliunas grabbed his first goal for the club in the 15th minute.
Gary Locke fouled Paul Hartley and Stephen Simmons took the resultant
free-kick quickly, setting up Mikoliunas, who rounded the goalkeeper
before slotting home from close range.
Hearts extended their lead in the 25th minute, when Robbie Neilson
punted into the box and Fowler knocked the ball into his own net under
pressure from Jamie McAllister and Simmons.
Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies was forced to make his first change
of the game after just 28 minutes when Liam Fontaine left the field with
a suspected broken nose and was replaced by Freddie Dindeleux.
Killie were given little respite as half-time approached and only the
woodwork prevented them falling further behind when a thunderous Wyness
shot cracked off the crossbar.
Hearts were threatening again after the break and it was only the
heroics of Combe which prevented them extending their lead.
The Killie keeper pulled off an impressive block to deny Mikoliunas a
second goal and the ball fell to Wyness who looked certain to find the
back of the net with a header on the six-yard line, but Combe somehow
managed to parry that effort too.
However, Hearts extended their lead again in the 61st minute.
A stunning opportunist drive from Miller smacked off the underside of
the crossbar before crossin the line and Combe had no chance of stopping
the shot.
Mikoliunas had been looking dangerous for Hearts all day and had
another great opportunity to punish Kilmarnock but fired across the face
of goal and wide.
But the miss meant little as the Jambos earned a psychological boost
ahead of the
cup replay next week.
Kilmarnock: Combe, Fowler (Wales 57 mins), Lilley, Fontaine (Dindeleux
28 mins),
Locke, McDonald, Johnston, Leven, Murray (Hay 53 mins), Boyd, Naismith
Subs: Bell, Invincibile, Ford, Dodds
Attendance: 9,022
