Queen of South 1 : 2 Hearts - Zeefuik earns Hearts victory

Genero Zeefuik scored his fifth goal in six matches to earn Hearts a 2-1 victory at Queen of the South and maintain their 20-point lead at the top of the Scottish Championship.

Queen of the South had the first chance of the afternoon but Paul Burns' shot was safely gathered by goalkeeper Neil Alexander.

They went in front in the 23rd minute when Lewis Kidd found space down the right and drilled a low cross for Danny Carmichael to tap in at the back post.

Hearts pulled level after 31 minutes as Callum Paterson picked out Billy King and he slammed the ball into the bottom-left corner of the net.

Zeefuik fired inches wide from a turn and shot on the edge of the area and Danny Wilson was not too far away with a header from a corner.

A Hearts goal had been coming and it arrived with seven minutes remaining. Adam Eckersley's pass found Zeefuik six yards out and his shot took a deflection before trickling over the line.

Queen of the South goalkeeper Alex Clark came up for a corner in injury time and was not too far away with a header as the Jambos held on.