Hearts took a big step towards William Hill Premiership safety with a deserved three points against Ross County in Dingwall.
Strikes either side of half-time from Lawrence Shankland had the Jambos on their way after Ronan Hale's first half opener.
Shankland then turned provider late on, as Alan Forrest tucked away his fine cross in the final stanza to secure an important victory for Hearts with three games to go.
Interim Head Coach Liam Fox made four changes from the team that lost out to Dundee at Tynecastle Park last week.
Alan Forrest and Kenneth Vargas came back into the side while Craig Halkett returned to the heart of defence, with Lawrence Shankland in from the start to lead the line.
Cammy Devlin missed out through illness, Jamie McCart through injury and there were spots on the bench for Elton Kabangu and Sander Kartum.
Hearts carved out a half chance after eleven minutes, Vargas laying the ball into the path of Adam Forrester, with his ranged effort held by Jordan Amissah in the County goal.
The Jambos maintained their assault, with Jorge Grant's effort from distance flying over the crossbar, before Jordan Amissah got down to hold an Alan Forrest strike from close range.
Despite these early attempts, it was Ross County who would take the lead after 26 minutes; Noah Kenneh shrugging off the attentions of Beni Baningime to slide in a perfectly timed Ronan Hale - the Northern Irishman slamming a piledriver of a finish into the bottom left corner.
County started to gain a foothold, but survived a big scare after 36 minutes when Amissah's poor clearance landed at the feet of Jorge Grant, who gladly teed up Shankland with a through ball. Hitting low drive at goal, Amissah recovered well with a fine stop, with Shankland seeing his looping effort hit the roof of the net on the rebound.
Hearts' misfires in front of goal continued, with the Jambos missing a glorious chance after 40 minutes as Alan Forrest smashed a chance from close range over the bar after a good ball from Shankland on the break.
The men in maroon got themselves back on level terms a minute later; a delightful sliding pass from Baningime saw Shankland weave between the lines and drill a fine low strike beyond Amissah and into the net.
HT: Ross County 1-1 Heart of Midlothian
58 minutes into the second half of proceedings in Dingwall, and Hearts found themselves in front. Adam Forrester threaded the ball out wide to Kenneth Vargas, the Costa Rican hammering the ball across the face of goal.
Lawrence Shankland timed his run to perfection, and was at full stretch to turn the ball beyond Amissah at the near post to make it 2-1 to the Jambos.
The chances came thick and fast after that, Blair Spittal seeing an audacious curling strike from the edge of the box clipping the crossbar before going behind.
It was set to be a nervy final ten minutes in Dingwall, but the Jambos eased the pressure with another good goal. Shankland capitalised on a slip from Akil Wright to escape down the left side.
Sending a perfectly weighted cross into the box, Alan Forrest gleefully received, tucking the ball away from close range to wrap up a massive three points for Hearts.
Ross County: Amissah, Brown (Phillips 62'), Wright, Randall ©, Hale, Tomkinson, Ashworth, Harmon (Grieves 74'), Samuel (Robesten 84'), White (Efete 62'), Kenneh (Nisbet 62')
Subs: Ross, Phillips, Grieves, Campbell, Lopata, Nisbet, Efete, Smith, Robesten
Hearts: Gordon, Kent, Halkett, Baningime, Grant, Shankland ©, Spittal (Nieuwenhof 70'), Forrest (Wilson 90+4'), Penrice, Forrester, Vargas (Dhanda 80')
Subs: Fulton, Kingsley, Nieuwenhof, McKay, Steinwender, Kabangu, Dhanda, Wilson, Kartum.
