Heart of Midlothian moved seven points clear at the league summit after a commanding 1-0 victory over Aberdeen at Tynecastle Park.
Hearts carved out the first big chance with just five minutes on the clock; Blair Spittal smashing a fantastic cross into the Dons' penalty area which was met on the leap by Tomas Magnusson who nodded just wide of the post.
Good pressing by Landy Kabore saw Hearts go close again, forcing Aberdeen into screwing a ball directly into the path of Marc Leonard - who slipped Claudio Braga through on goal for Dimitar Mitov's first intervention of the game.
It didn't take long for the next chance as Hearts pressed their claim once again via a delightful Harry Milne cross into the area once more, Braga's header looping over the crossbar as the Jambos rallied again for more.
The best chance fell Hearts' way on 22 minutes after Blair Spittal's ball forward saw Kabore wriggle free of his markers and go one-v-one with Mitov, but the Burkina Faso international's chip over the 'keeper landed just wide of the post.
Aberdeen soon realised that route one was the order of the day, and Mitov's lump forward allowed Toyosi Olusanya to slip into the Hearts box and make headway towards goal, but a full blooded challenge from Jamie McCart steered away the danger.
As the half hour mark approached, Hearts' dominance with the ball paid off as the men in maroon raced into a deserved lead via Claudio Braga; who confidently stroked the ball home from close range after superb play by Kabore down the right, who skipped past his marker before threading the ball in.
HT: Heart of Midlothian 1-0 Aberdeen
Hearts emerged for the second 45 with the same intensity that served them well in the first, with Blair Spittal seeing his curling strike tipped over the crossbar from Kyziridis' corner.
From the next corner routine, the ball was cleared as far as Tomas Magnusson who headed the ball back into play. Braga pulled the ball out of the sky and tested Mitov from close range - but the Dons keeper spread himself to divert it behind.
Chances were few and far between in the closing stages and, with five minutes of added time, Hearts defended stoutly to get the result over the line and secure another three points.
Hearts: Schwolow, Halkett, McCart, Braga (Chesnokov 87'), Kabore, Steinwender, Spittal (Baningime 87'), Milne, Magnusson, Leonard, Kyziridis (Kent 84')
Subs: Fulton, Kent, Baningime, Kabangu, Forrest, Altena, Kerjota, Mato, Chesnokov
Aberdeen: Mitov, Devlin (Lobban 70'), Shinnie (Nilsen 45'), Geiger, Olusanya (Lazetic 79'), Molloy, Milne, Morrison, Cameron (Armstrong 66'), Keskinen (Frame 45')
Subs: Vitols, Frame, Nilsen, Bilalovic, Armstrong, Palaversa, Lazetic, Aremu, Lobban
Attendance: 18,778
