Heart of Midlothian secured a big 2-1 win over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park to move into seventh spot in the Scottish Premiership.
Results on Saturday saw Neil Critchley's side drop to 10th in the standings. But such is the nature of the division, Hearts knew a win would lift them back up the table.
Elton Kabangu was the hero this afternoon after his frustrating day seven days ago against Rangers. He scored in either half, between a crucial and stunning save from Craig Gordon.
Joel Sked looks back at the game at McDiarmid Park.
Big save leads to big win
Hearts know they can move into the top six for the first time since the first week of the season with victory over St Mirren at Tynecastle Park on Wednesday following success in Perth.
With the conditions and the pitch the way it was, this was a game that had to be endured. Find a way to win. Any way. It doesn't matter how. It was very much the end result over process.
That's what Hearts did. There were spells where the team looked good but overall it was about coming up with quality moments when it mattered.
They came about with both goals, scored by Kabangu, and perhaps the biggest moment of the match when Craig Gordon denied Sam Curtis when the score was 1-1. St Johnstone had just equalised and it looked like they would be about to take the lead when a cross found the wing-back sneaking in behind James Penrice.
Just as he was ready to celebrate, Gordon stuck out a huge left hand to stop it and allow Penrice to head over. It was peak Craig Gordon. A man made for match-defining saves.
This was another one.
Kabangu's response
Critchley revealed in the build up to the game that he had spoken to Elton Kabangu following last weekend's disappointment against Rangers where the striker got into some excellent goal-scoring positions but was left frustrated, unable to add to his five goals netted since joining on loan in January.
The best thing for the Belgian was to get back on the score sheet in his next outing, and that's exactly what he did. Kabangu had sent a shot narrowly past the far post before he was latched onto a Lawrence Shankland cross-cum-shot to bundle it over the line.
What was most impressive was Kabangu's movement. When James Penrice was ready to play the ball into the box Kabangu made a run into the six-yard box. As it went into Shankland he strayed into an offside position. He moved back quickly before making a secondary movement to be in the right position at the right time.
If that was a nice confidence boost, his second would have laid any ghosts of last weekend to rest. Sent through on goal, he displayed composure and confidence to slide a shot past Andy Fisher.
Shankland involvement
The change to the diamond has provided Lawrence Shankland with a definitive position. Rather than being an outright No.9 or a No.9 who drops deep, he is the team's No.10. A position he is more than capable of. Actually, there is an argument that it is his best. Why? Because he creates chances for team-mates.
Coming into the game, out of all forwards and attacking midfielders in the Premiership, he was top three for open play chances created and xG assisted (essentially measuring how good the chances he created are).
It will be interesting to hear from the player if he meant the assist for the first goal but he laid it on a plate for Kabangu. As he did for the second goal, getting the ball in the position of a No.10 and slipping a perfect through ball for his team-mate to run onto.
Both Kabangu and Wilson split their positioning and were happy and even eager to move wider, opening that space for Shankland to move into and operate it. The teenage striker may not have grabbed a goal or an assist but certainly contributed, creating the best moments early on.
It wasn't Shankland's best performance, there were moments where he didn't release the ball quickly enough or made the wrong decision. But that is going to be an element of that position. Overall, he impacted the game in a positive and creative manner.
Defensive moments and Steinwender
It wasn't the most defensively sound performance as a collective from Hearts. In fact, it was untidy at times.
The goal conceded was soft with Graham Carey getting time and space inside the box on the Saints left to find Adam Sidibeh drifting off Jamie McCart. Saints also had a goal conceded where there were similarities but this time from the opposite side.
Hearts were let off the hook late in the second half when a free-kick was turned wide by Graham Carey. It was a heart in the mouth moment.
Individually, however, Michael Steinwender showed what he can bring to the team in and out of possession. He is combative and aggressive in the way he defends. That was shown early on when he moved wide and slid to win the ball, celebrating after.
It was in possession where he stood out. In the second half he joined in the attack, progressing forward with the ball and helping create an overload down the right. In the second half, it was him who found Shankland free with a fine line-breaking pass. It was another moment he was delighted with and celebrated.
A defender who wears his heart on his sleeve alongside the more reserved McCart.
Beni thrives as a No.6
With Cammy Devlin's head knock, Hearts required one of their midfielders to step up and take on the mantle at the base of the pitch as the leading defensive presence.
He was brilliant against St Mirren and stood out for an hour against Rangers.
In Perth, he stood out once more with his ball-winning, picking up on loose balls and reading of the game. No player recovered possession more. No player won more tackles.
Aside from a loose ball when caught in two minds, he kept possession ticking over on a tricky afternoon.
The biggest compliment you can give Baningime is that after Devlin's influence in recent weeks, he hasn't been missed as much as expected.
Conditions
The game survived a pitch inspection at the back of 10am. The pitch was deemed playable with the ball bouncing fine. But it looked terrible. The far corner was bare while the nearside touchline looked like it had held stock cars and neither goalmouth were more mud than grass.
Following the recent trip to St Mirren, the surfaces have been a great advert for plastic pitches. It just makes for a poor-looking product, especially with the game being broadcast live on Sky Sports.
In turn, it had a detrimental impact on what was served up. Both sides tried to play through the lines and progress the game on the ground.
In the end, thankfully, the game went ahead and the pitch didn't worsen to the point it made it unplayable.
