Hearts 1 Partick 0
Arnaud Djoum's first half header was enough to see off Partick and move Hearts to within six points of Aberdeen in the Premiership.
Arnaud Djoum's first half header was enough to see off Partick and move Hearts to within six points of Aberdeen in the Premiership.
The Belgian found the net from a Don Cowie corner in the 25th minute as Robbie Neilson's side registered a third successive win.
Supporters were distracted as soon as the match got under way by a bizarre protest. A plane flew over the stadium carrying the message: 'No style no bottle Neilson out'.
Boos rang out among sections of the capacity home crowd before Hearts fans started to chant: 'There's only one Robbie Neilson'.
The plane eventually disappeared after around 10 minutes and within that time Hearts had already created one really good opportunity.
Jamie Walker burst into the box and rounded goalkeeper Tomas Cerny but from a tight angle the winger fluffed a left-footed shot.
The danger was not over, however, and Djoum had a half-volley deflected wide by Gary Miller.
The visitors created their first chance after 13 minutes and Hearts goalkeeper Neil Alexander had to be alert to tip Mathias Pogba's header over from a Steven Lawless delivery.
Hearts had the ball in the net through Juanma moments later but the Spaniard was adjudged to have pushed Liam Lindsay before chesting down Alim Ozturk's cross.
But Hearts went ahead in the 25th minute with a header from Djoum following a sustained spell of pressure.
Hearts had their visitors on the ropes with an Ozturk free kick that was deflected wide before Igor Rossi's header was saved from a Don Cowie corner.
But from a second successive Cowie set-piece, Djoum rose high at the back post to head past Cerny.
Cowie came close to claiming his second assist of the afternoon from a well worked free kick in the 37th minute.
Ozturk fed Cowie at the side of the box and the former Wigan playmaker's little dink to the back post was met by Rossi but the defender's downward header bounced wide.
Heart were quick out of the blocks in the second half with Jamie Walker forcing a save from Cerny with a low drive just seconds after the restart.
Lawless then exhibited his skills by skipping past Prince Buaben, Liam Smith and Rossi but a stinging left-footed shot from 18 yards was straight at Alexander.
Hearts then created a series of chances.
Juanma swept a first-time shot at the near post just over from Cowie's cut back before substitute Abiola Dauda curled a right-footed shot off target from a Jamie Walker pass.
Sam Nicholson then found himself in space inside the box but his low drive was well saved by Cerny as Hearts held on for the win.