Hearts DNA came to fore in Celtic win but Steven Naismith must be s******g himself for January - Ryan Stevenson

There was a moment in the first half at Celtic Park on Saturday that typified everything I believe to be in the DNA of Heart of Midlothian. Not Lawrence Shankland or Stephen Kingsley’s goals in the 2-0 win, impressive as they were.

But it was Kingsley’s incredible goal line clearance to deny Luis Palma just minutes after he’d wrapped his left foot round that stunning free kick to make it 2-0. Talk about throwing your body on the line for the team. It was sensational and was exactly what Hearts supporters demand. It had the famous old John Cumming saying that ‘blood doesn’t show on a maroon shirt’ flashing through my mind. Kingsley typified that spirit. And to a man so did every single Hearts player as they ended Celtic’s 52-game unbeaten run at home.

That’s the standard set now. Hearts have been waiting a long time for that result - 16 years and 27 games for a league win at Celtic Park to be precise. It’s been mentioned time and again including at last week’s AGM that they’ve not laid a glove on the Big Two. But on Saturday they delivered a haymaker to the champions’ title defence.

Now they need to use that scalp to make their own headway in the race for third. Saturday’s home clash with St Mirren becomes even bigger than the Celtic game. There’s no point winning at Parkhead if you don’t follow it up by beating the side sitting one place below you on goal difference.

Listen, they’d have enjoyed themselves on Saturday night and deserved to. But as soon as they were back on the training ground it would be all thoughts on St Mirren and how they can start putting distance between themselves and the rest in the hunt for third.

I don’t want to sound negative but there’s still a cloud still hanging over Tynecastle. It’s