Hearts responded to questions about their ability to maintain their title challenge by grinding out a 1-0 win over Falkirk to move five points clear of Rangers at the top of the William Hill Premiership.
Islam Chesnokov’s first goal for the Edinburgh club, at the end of the first half, proved decisive on what was a nervy afternoon for the home support at Tynecastle.
The Jambos had lost two of their previous three matches – including last Sunday’s top-of-the-table showdown at Ibrox – leading to suggestions in some quarters their remarkable title bid might be about to fizzle out.
This hard-fought victory, however, shifted the pressure back on to Gers and Celtic, both of whom must now play catch-up on Sunday.
Derek McInnes made two changes to the Hearts side that started last Sunday’s 4-2 defeat at Rangers, with Beni Baningime and Oisin McEntee dropping out through injury.
The manager was then forced into a third alteration when Ageu had to be replaced by Blair Spittal after sustaining an injury in the warm-up.
Falkirk boss John McGlynn had to field an unfamiliar centre-back pairing of Filip Lissah and Coll Donaldson, with Liam Henderson and Lewis Neilson unavailable and Connor Allan only fit enough to start on the bench.
The Bairns began brightly and Brad Spencer’s strike from long range was almost diverted in by the toe of team-mate Barney Stewart before Kyrell Wilson saw an effort from the edge of the box blocked by goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow.
Hearts had a brilliant chance to take the lead in the 10th minute after Claudio Braga burst in from the right and set up Spittal 10 yards out but the midfielder’s shot flew over the top.
The hosts were struggling to generate any fluency, however, and Stewart had an opportunity for the visitors when he got himself clean through in the 18th minute, but his low shot from the edge of the box was saved by Schwolow.
Hearts had a let-off in the 37th minute when Ben Broggio blasted just over after being set up by Keelan Adams following an intercepted pass that led to a swift counter-attack.
The leaders, having looked nervy for most of the first half, got themselves in front in the 45th minute.
A corner broke to Harry Milne on the right and he drove inside the pitch before feeding Alexandros Kyziridis, who in turn slipped a pass through to Chesnokov and the Kazakhstan international got away from Dylan Tait to toe-poke a low effort with his left foot beyond Scott Bain from the edge of the six-yard box.
The Jambos almost doubled their lead seconds after the interval when Braga drilled agonisingly wide and the Portuguese forward threatened again when he had a ferocious shot pushed wide by Bain.
Kyziridis was also denied twice by the Falkirk keeper in the closing stages as the Jambos closed out a much-needed victory to reassert themselves at the top.
