Gary Wales virtually stamped Hearts' passport to Europe with a 52nd-minute winner at Kilmarnock.

But the Edinburgh side owe a great debt of gratitude to goalkeeper Antti Niemi who denied the home side a deserved half-time lead with a superb one-handed save from Gus MacPherson.

The Finnish international was in superb form as the Rugby Park side paid the price for failing to take advantage of their dominance in the first 45 minutes.

Kilmarnock should really have strolled into the half-time break with a comfortable lead. But a combination of Niemi's save and poor finishing prevented the home side from taking command.

As early as the second minute, Christophe Cocard spurned an opportunity to give Kilmarnock the lead when he sliced wide after controlling a great ball into the area by Tosh McKinlay.

Just seconds later, Cocard's luck was out again when he failed to connect with a Jerome Veraille cross from the right.

And Ally Mitchell incurred the wrath of team-mates Vareille and Cocard when he struck wide from 20 yards with both Frenchmen better placed on either side of him before Vareille forced a great diving save from Niemi after a brilliant long ball into the area by Hessey.

The home crowd, however, were becoming anxious with the number of shots off target and just the one to trouble Niemi.

But, if Kilmarnock boss Bobby Williamson and the fans thought Finnish international Niemi could be caught cold by a lack of action, they were sorely mistaken.

Hearts were grateful to Niemi three minutes from time when he denied MacPherson with a one-handed save.

Paul Wright and Mitchell combined before the defender unleashed a 20-yard which was arrowing towards goal before the Hearts keeper, unbelievably, raised his hand while diving to his right to turn the ball away.

But, in a fairly even tempered game, referee Stuart Dougal managed to caution four players - Sean Hessey for Kilmarnock and Hearts' Robert Tomaschek, Gordan Petric and Steven Pressley.

Hearts manager Jim Jefferies recognised that his side needed an injection of new blood and the clearly out of sorts Colin Cameron was replaced by Steve Fulton.

The effect was almost immediate and the visitors began to find their feet.

Pressure started to mount and seven minutes after the re-start, the Edinburgh side put their UEFA Cup search back on track.

Lee Makel found Wales to his left with an excellent ball and the striker coolly slotted the ball under the advancing Marshall.

Wales almost added a second later when Petric flicked the ball into his path from Gary Naysmith's ball. But this time Marshall held on to the ball comfortably.

But the home side were not prepared to lie down and Wright fired just over from MacPherson's ball.

But Kilmarnock players and fans were left aghast when Wright fired over from just six yards after a low Mitchell cross had deceived the Hearts defence.

Wright was almost gifted another opportunity when Pressley failed to clear with a header but Naysmith came across to clear the danger. Scant reward for some good first half play by the home side.

Teams:

Kilmarnock: Marshall, MacPherson, Innes, Hessey, McKinlay, Mitchell, Holt, Durrant, Cocard, Wright, Vareille (Smith 83).

Subs Not Used: Meldrum, Mahood, Burke, Canero.

Booked: Hessey, MacPherson.

Hearts: Niemi, Flogel, Pressley, Petric, Naysmith, Cameron (Fulton 45), Makel, Jackson (Simpson 88), Tomaschek, McSwegan (Murray 70), Wales.

Subs Not Used: McKenzie, Kirk.

Booked: Tomaschek, Petric, Pressley.

Goals: Wales 53.

Att: 8,057

Ref: S Dougal (Scotland).