Ten man Hearts brought the curtain down on the 2024/25 season at Rugby Park, snatching a late 1-0 win in Ayrshire.
In a drab end of season contest, it looked as neither side would break the deadlock over 90 minutes, with the men in maroon playing the majority of the game with ten men after Yan Dhanda’s dismissal for foul play in the first half.
After a hard fought match, Stephen Kingsley popped up late on with a cool finish to secure a smash and grab result for the Jambos on the last day of the season.
Three points in Ayrshire means Hearts finish top of the bottom six, with a final league placing of seventh in the William Hill Premiership.
Interim Head Coach Liam Fox made changes for the curtain closer in Ayrshire, with three tweaks to the side that defeated St Johnstone in midweek.
Zander Clark returned from injury to start between the sticks, replacing Ryan Fulton who moved to the bench. Calem Nieuwenhof came in for Jorge Grant, while Stephen Kingsley got the nod ahead of Craig Halkett in defence.
Killie registered the first chance after three minutes. Good running down the right from Kyle Vassell saw the ball cut back to an oncoming David Watson. The midfielder went for goal, but saw his effort cleaved away thanks to a good block from Frankie Kent.
It wasn’t an explosive start to proceedings in Kilmarnock, with the next chance for the hosts coming after sixteen minutes as the ball was worked to Dan Armstrong on the edge of the Jambos’ area; the wide man’s ranged effort going high and wide over the crossbar.
An injury to Zander Clark after 22 minutes saw Ryan Fulton return to fold, with the ‘keeper facing his first three minutes later as Fraser Murray hit a free-kick from 25-yards out – the Killie forward’s effort sailing high and wide into the Chadwick Stand.
The first real chance for Hearts came just before the half-hour mark, as Alan Forrest made some space in the Killie box before zipping a dipping effort at goal that forced Robby McCrorie into action.
Kilmarnock continued to enjoy the lion’s share of possession, with Armstrong at the centre of things once more as his free-kick routine with Fraser Murray saw his vicious strike deflect across the face of goal.
There was a twist in the tale after 38 minutes as the Jambos were reduced to ten men. Yan Dhanda led the Hearts charge on goal and appeared to clip Stuart Findlay during a block. A subsequent VAR check saw Dhanda’s punishment elevated to a red card.
With just a minute to go until the break, Killie went close again, Brad Lyons taking down a ball from behind and hitting the Hearts box – his well taken strike going inches wide of the post.
HT: Kilmarnock 0-0 Heart of Midlothian
Killie started the second 45 in much the same vein as the first; carving out a high number of chances with little to show for it. Liam Donnelly could only watch as his stinging volley sailed over the crossbar after 51 minutes.
Fraser Murray would then curl a good opportunity wide ten minutes later, before Hearts responded with punches of their own – Calem Nieuwenhof seeing his ranged effort into the gloves of McCrorie, before Cammy Devlin forced a smart stop a minute later.
Murray saw another effort go astray after 71 minutes, his curling effort at full stretch going just too far over the crossbar. The game had settled into a rhythm, and there was little to report in the way of goalmouth action.
It looked as though the final day would end as a stalemate, but Hearts had one more surprise up their sleeve before the page was closed on Season 24/25.
Frankie Kent’s free-kick from deep was lumped into the Killie box and, after a bit of pinball, the ball fell to an unmarked Stephen Kingsley – who drilled his low effort home after 89 minutes to sign Hearts off with a win.
Kilmarnock: McCrorie, Ndaba, Mayo, Lyons (Polworth 70’), Vassell © (Mackay-Steven 83’), Armstrong (Burke 70’), Watson, Murray, Findlay (Anderson 46’), Donnelly, Wales (Watkins 64’)
Subs: O’Hara, Mackay-Steven, Cameron, Anderson, Ramsay, Watkins, Polworth, Burke, Traynor
Hearts: Clark (Fulton 22’), Kent, Kingsley, Baningime, Nieuwenhof (Kartum 69’), Shankland © (Wilson 69’), Devlin, Forrest (Kabangu 69’), Milne (Halkett 59’), Dhanda, Forrester
Subs: Fulton, Halkett, Grant, McKay, Steinwender, Kabangu, Wilson, Kartum, Osborne
Attendance: 6,601
