Ladbrokes Premiership

KILMARNOCK 1

HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN 2

DISAPPOINTED Killie boss Steve Clarke had little to complain about after his side lost just their third league game at Rugby Park this season, writes Stephen Bark.

Jordan Jones’s penalty just before half-time wasn’t enough to stop the Jambos walking away with all three points following goals from Sean Claire and Steven Naismith.

After the match, Clarke said: “Fair play to Hearts, they were clever, but there were so many fouls in the game and, if you bring out the yellow cards at the start rather than the end, it allows your creative players to play.

“We will play better and lose. It was a disappointing result, but the performance was really good.

“Hearts came here to make it difficult for us and we fell asleep for the first goal.

“It is difficult when you have big three lumps defending their goal.”

Throughout the match Killie had plenty of possession and, again, played some good stuff but the Hearts back line stood tall.

The hosts were the better team for much of the first half, but Hearts somehow found themselves 2-0 up.

Their first came on 38 minutes when Arnaud Djoum slipped a pass to Clare who ignored the defenders trying to get a foot in to steer the ball superbly into the net via the far post.

Two minutes before the break, Clare’s clever freekick allowed Jake Mulraney space on the left side of the box and his cross was met by Stevie Naismith who found the net from six yards.

Hearts captain Christophe Berra clipped the heels of Alan Power in first half stoppage time to give Killie a penalty and Jones scored to give them hope.

It was mostly Killie in the second half but a close-range header by new signing Liam Millar was their best effort as Hearts saw out the match.