LANDRY KABORE became the latest Hearts new boy to shine as the relentless Jambos swept aside Dundee.
The Burkina Faso striker’s double helped Derek McInnes’ side move NINE points clear of Celtic at the top of the Premiership.
And in the process showed the impressive squad depth Jamestown Analytics have added to the Tynecastle side’s title tilt.
Claudio Braga and Alexandros Kyziridis have rightly hogged the headlines for their displays so far.
But the Capital club patiently waited to land Kabore from Estonian side JK Narva Trans and here he showed why.
Lawrence Shankland was also on target, his 10th goal of the season beating the skipper’s TOTAL for last season.
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McInnes had picked the same side in each of the Jambos previous six games.
But he mixed things up here, moving Craig Halkett, Stephen Kingsley and Claudio Braga to the bench.
And in came Michael Steinwender, Blair Spittal and summer signing Kabore.
Pressley made one switch with Billy Koumetio coming into defence and Luke Graham dropping out.
And he was without Yan Dhanda, who was unable to play against his former club.
Kabore had started a little more slowly than some of the club’s other new acquisitions.
But his displays in training and bounce games led to McInnes playing him with Lawrence Shankland up top.
Harry Milne who had the first go at goal in the 3rd minute but screwed his shot wide of the target.
The Jambos had enjoyed almost all of the possession up to that stage but had little to show for it.
And it was the side in white who had the first real chance of the game as the half hour mark approached.
Cameron Congreve cut in from the left and looked to beat Alexander Schwolow from the edge of the box.
And for a second the keeper was worried as the shot took a nick on the way through and clipped his crossbar.
It was a good moment for Pressley’s side, but maybe also the spark the men in maroon needed.
For McInnes’ men then went straight up the park and opened the scoring in the 31st minute.
Spittal dropped in between the visitor’s defence and midfield and then found Milne on the left.
Kabore made a good run to the near post but Milne came inside and picked out Shankland instead.
And from 20 yards out he drilled a low effort past Jon McCracken and in off the keeper’s left post.
It was the skipper’s tenth goal of the season, moving him one ahead of strike partner Braga.
Milne had played on the right in those six games where McInnes had started the same team.
Here he was back on the left where he looked to cause the Dundee defence problems at every opportunity.
And his persistence led to his corner that saw Gorgie side’s second goal in the 37th minute.
Stuart Findlay’s initial header towards goal was blocked but only as far as Kabore eight yards out.
And before anyone could react he turned and slammed a low shot past McCracken to double the lead.
The towering striker raced over to the bench to hug boss McInnes following his first goal for the club.
But it didn’t stop him getting a rollicking from several team-mates when he didn’t chase a ball a minute later.
Those are the standards this Hearts team are setting right now as they drive each other on.
And Dundee had little answer as they toiled to find a way back into the game.
Shankland fired in another low effort in the 49th minute, this time straight at McCracken.
Kabore then had a shot charged down by Robertson then Cammy Devlin had a volley held by the keeper.
Simon Murray was booked for a high boot on Spittal in the 52nd minute.
And it was three just before the hour following another fine move from the men in maroon.
Milne’s pass picked out Spittal, whose curling shot was tipped onto the bar by McCracken.
But, just as was earlier, Kabore was there to turn the ball past the floored keeper for his second of the game.
Murray thought he’d pulled one back but was flagged offside, much to the delight of the home support.
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Instead Hearts made it four with ten minutes left, this time Kyziridis delivering the corner from the left.
And this time it was sub Tomas Magnusson, another Jamestown spot, who bundled the ball home.
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