Derek McInnes on why it was 'a good time to play Hearts'

Killie came from behind to win for the seventh time in their last 11 visits to Gorgie. Alan Forrest had given Hearts a first-half lead but goals from Matty Kennedy and Kyle Vassell ensured the points returned to Ayrshire. 

It dropped Hearts back to the bottom of the Premiership table.

McInnes revealed he was frustrated with the way his side started the match. Killie had come with the plan to be "a wee bit more forthright".

"I thought we wasted the first half hour, to be honest," he said. "I thought the messaging from us was to try and come here and be a wee bit more forthright and impose ourselves in the game.

"Obviously, we're up against a team who have got a lot of good players and it's not going to be easy to do that, particularly at Tynecastle.

"Hearts came into the game in decent form and they have got a lot of good players, they've freshened it up in two or three areas. I could easily have came here and put an extra midfielder on, dropped a striker, dropped a wide player, and just tried to nullify the game. But we tried to still come with two wingers, to come with two centre forwards, but as I say, I thought we wasted the first half hour, to be honest.

"I thought Hearts were arriving at the edge of our box too often, too many corners, free kicks going into our box and I thought we were playing with fire. I was really disappointed with the first half hour, it needs to be said.

"Ironically, our best spell was the last 15 minutes of the first half. There was a wee break in the game and we tried to get the message about what we wanted to try to do and I thought we were far better. But we lose the goal in that period as well just from switching off at the throw-in a wee bit and I don't think we quite react well enough."

McInnes admitted Hearts "probably deserved a lead at half time" but explained that they discussed how Hearts may struggle physically due to their schedule.

"We spoke at half-time about what exactly we want to be and try to play with a bit more purpose, a bit more bite," he said. "We spoke also about the physical element of Hearts. There's no doubt it's a good time to play Hearts, it has to be said, just in terms of the physical output. Their third game in six or seven days, a European game, a derby and then us coming along.

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"We were probably their last game in their thoughts that they would have wanted, but I did think that that would have a part, a small part nonetheless. 

"We still have to go and come up with big moments, but there's no doubt in the physical aspect of the second half, I thought we would have an advantage just through the situation and I thought that did play a part, but we still need those big moments.  

"A brilliant finish from Matty Kennedy and because he scores early enough in the second half, I think that it gives both teams still time to probably think they can go and win, but it's not always easy here when a team comes onto a home team.

"I thought we came onto Hearts. I thought we pressed better, I thought our passing was better and I thought we broke better.

There was no real surprise to me when we got the second goal and thankfully Kyle gets the all-important winner."