The Rugby Park side had a decent record at Tynecastle
last season and were confident of a victory despite losing their last
three league outings.
Mehdi Taouil provided a deserved lead which was
cancelled out by Laryea Kingston, before Bryson helped himself to the
decisive goal.
Mike Tullberg earned his first start for Hearts - and
his Tynecastle debut - as Jambos boss Csaba Laszlo made two changes from
the side who lost to Dundee United. Tullberg and Jason Thomson were
drafted into the starting line-up in place of the suspended Eggert Jonsson
and Audrius Ksanavicius.
Killie made just one change after their reverse in
Inverness. James Fowler's red card meant he was banned and was replaced in
the starting XI by Danny Invincibile.
Both teams were up for this game right from the outset and Manuel Pascali - wearing the captain's
armband - was fortunate to escape punishment after clattering into
Christophe Berra in the opening minutes.
The Hearts skipper recovered enough to meet a Kingston
corner at the near post but his header only managed to ripple the
side-netting as the home side carved out the first real chance of the
game.
Kingston was again the provider when he embarked upon a
surging run down the right flank before delivering into the path of
Tullberg, who connected awkwardly and chested wide of the target.
I
nstead, it was Kilmarnock who opened the scoring with
19 minutes gone. Jamie Mole picked up the first booking of the game for a
foul on Bryson just outside the box and the challenge proved to be costly.
Mehdi Taouil
stepped up for the resultant free-kick just outside the box and delivered
a lovely curling effort into the top corner of the net, leaving goalkeeper
Marian Kello with no chance.
Killie pushed forward in numbers and looked likely to
add to their tally - only to suffer a blow when Hearts hauled themselves
level with 33 minutes gone.
Stewart burst into the box and had a go with a powerful
effort that cannoned off the body of Bryson and fell kindly to the feet of
Kingston, who gratefully lashed home the rebound from 10 yards.
The visitors tried to restore their lead before the
break but Jamie Hamill's effort at the near post was weak and comfortably
held by Kello.
Killie could have been back in front shortly after the
restart when Hearts lost possession in the middle of the park, allowing
David Fernandez to hook the ball out to Conor Sammon.
The striker burst into the box from the right but was
denied the sight of the net bulging by a timely block from Berra at the
post.
At the other end, Saulius Mikoliunas took advantage of
David Lilley's failure to clear the danger and saw his low shot scrape
wide before Kingston volleyed over as he eyed his second of the afternoon.
Sammon then had another go, with Fernandez the supplier
again, but his header bounced harmlessly on the roof of the net with Kello
covering anyway.
Kingston missed another great chance to hand Hearts the
advantage when he collected a lovely pass from Mikoliunas and found
himself one-on-one with Alan Combe, but the keeper pulled off a great
point-blank save to keep the score level.
It was Bryson who snatched the winner with nine minutes
to go, starting the move by picking out substitute Donovan Simmonds before
making a well-timed run into the box and collecting the return pass.
Craig Bryson
then finished in style by sending a low, left-footed shot past Kello to
claim maximum points. David Lilley
picked up a late yellow card for time wasting, to make it 6 yellows on the
day for Ayrshire's finest.
