Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

Not since 1962 has the trophy adorned the stadium’s trophy cabinet and Innes Cameron’s first-half header ensured that run will continue for another season at least. Indeed, this result also extended the Ayrshire side’s impressive recent record in Gorgie.

This was their fifth consecutive victory at Tynecastle as the Premiership’s newly-promoted team completed a slightly surprising cup result at the home of last term’s third-best side.

Killie secured their place in the quarter-finals against Dundee United with a diligent defensive display after Cameron’s goal. Hearts might have Premiership and European commitments to deal with but this was a competition also high on their priority list.

It was their first Premier Sports Cup fixture of the season after bypassing July’s group stage as one of Scotland’s European representatives. Kilmarnock wanted an upset after enjoying their first league win against Motherwell last weekend, and they executed the job.

Recent arrival Orestis Kiomourtzoglou is still awaiting a visa so, to help Hearts cope with injuries, youngsters Aidan Denholm and MacAulay Tait were among the substitutes. Kilmarnock signed striker Christian Doidge on loan from Hibs before kick-off but he wasn't registered in time to play.

The evening’s first shot at goal rasped against the palms of home goalkeeper Craig Gordon from visiting midfielder Rory McKenzie. Hearts otherwise controlled the early possession and tested Kilmarnock keeper Sam Walker with Josh Ginnelly’s 18th-minute attempt from a tight angle.

“One team in Ayrshire” blared from the travelling fans as they indulged in a spot of taunting towards Hearts’ former Ayr United players Lawrence Shankland and Alan Forrest. The away supporters raised the decibel level further on 21 minutes as their team took the lead.

Hearts forward Barrie McKay and Kilmarnock's Rory Mackenzie fight for possession at Tynecastle.

Midfielder Liam Polworth picked out Cameron with a pinpoint deep cross, and the giant striker found space to redirect a precise header across Gordon which bounced into the far corner of the net.

It was a lead Kilmarnock defended manfully, including Walker’s parry from Shankland’s header. Manager Derek McInnes’ organisation and tactics restricted Hearts’ space, with tackles and bodies thrown in to block whenever a maroon shirt pierced their rearguard.

Barrie McKay tried repeatedly to weave a path through with a series of runs and passes between the lines. Yet the more Hearts ventured forward and committed players into attack, the more space they left in their own defensive zone.

Following another of Cameron’s head flicks, Gordon emerged swiftly from his goal to stop midfielder Danny Armstrong lobbing a shot over him. Shankland then cleared Kilmarnock defender Ash Taylor’s header off his own goal line on 69 minutes. It was a nervous period and the tension around Tynecastle was merely increasing.

The final 15 minutes of this tie involved the Ayrshire side camped in their own territory under sustained attack. Yet clear scoring chances remained rare. After six minutes of stoppage-time, the final whistle confirmed Kilmarnock’s progress to the last eight.

Hearts (4-2-3-1): Gordon; Smith, Neilson (Sibbick 69), Cochrane, Halliday; Devlin (C Smith 55), Haring; Ginnelly (Mackay-Steven 81), Forrest (Henderson 69), Ginnelly, McKay; Shankland.

Kilmarnock (5-4-1): Walker; Alebiosu, Wright, Taylor, Mayo, Chrisene; Armstrong (Alston 79), Donnelly (Murray 74), Polworth, McKenzie (Power 75); Cameron (Lafferty 75).

Referee: Don Robertson.

Attendance: 11,071.

Hearts 0-1 Kilmarnock: Killie progress with resilient Premier Sports Cup win over frustrated hosts at Tynecastle