Ross County 0 - 3 Hearts

Hearts moved further clear of Ross County in the Premiership with a 3-0 win at the Global Energy Stadium.

The Tynecastle team took the lead eight minutes into the second half when midfielder Jamie Walker appeared to get the final touch after the County defence sought unsuccessfully to clear a corner from Don Cowie.

Substitute Abiola Dauda then scored twice inside four minutes in the closing stages as Robbie Neilson's third-placed team increased their advantage over the fourth-placed Highlanders to 11 points.

The match was keenly contested and the result was harsh on the home side.

Sam Nicholson had a couple of efforts well off target in the first four minutes as Hearts made a promising start.

Juanma fired well over in the 12th minute before County created their first opening when Michael Gardyne swung a dangerous ball into the box which the Hearts defence managed to clear.

The hosts won a free-kick just outside the 18-yard box in the 14th minute after Cowie, making his Hearts debut at his old stomping ground, clipped Martin Woods.

Ian McShane stepped up to take the kick but his effort flashed just wide of Neil Alexander's left hand post.

The home side were seeing more of the ball and Jackson Irvine just failed to get on the end of a Gardyne cross, before Irvine headed narrowly over from an Ian McShane corner.

County were getting closer and when Irvine slipped the ball through to David Goodwillie in space, the striker saw his shot deflected over by John Souttar.

Souttar came to Hearts' rescue again five minutes later when he stopped Gardyne as he burst into the opposition box.

County threatened at the start of the second half when Gardyne tried to pick out Goodwillie on the six-yard line - but Callum Paterson intercepted the intended pass.

Then Liam Boyce cracked a shot off the crossbar in the 50th minute after an Irvine lay-off as the home side turned up the pressure.

However, the visitors opened the scoring from their first corner of the game.

Cowie's delivery was met by Irvine but his attempted headed clearance came off the back of Walker and ended up in the net.

Alex Schalk came off the bench in place of Goodwillie and he had a chance to hit the target in the 71st minute when he got on the end of a Boyce delivery - but his shot was saved by Hearts goalkeeper Alexander.

County threw everything forward in the final stages and Gardyne should have done better when he burst through on goal - but he ballooned his shot well over from the edge of the area.

The home side continue to press for an equaliser and substitute Jonathan Franks swung a ball into the box in the 83rd minute - but Andrew Davies could not get enough power on his shot.

The contest was all over three minutes later when Hearts broke clear and Dauda, a 62nd minute replacement for Arnaud Djoum, passed the ball into the far corner of the net.

The same player scored again in the final minute when he scored with a superb finish from the edge of the box after good work from fellow sub Dario Zanatta.