Jefferies celebrates with the fans after Kevin Kyle had headed the derby winner

Hearts manager Jim Jefferies was ecstatic after his team's 1-0 home win over Edinburgh rivals Hibernian kept the pressure on league leaders Celtic.

Striker Kevin Kyle's header at the back post four minutes from time was the difference in a scrappy encounter.

"I couldn't care if it was the worst game on earth," claimed Jefferies.

"The win was deserved. We are going down the street later on tonight with three points against our bitter rivals and it is a sweet, sweet feeling."

Hearts are on a terrific run in the Scottish Premier League, with eight wins and a draw in their last nine matches, and this victory gave them their fourth derby victory on the trot.

The game was not easy on the eye but Jefferies dismissed any complaints from the purists, telling BBC Scotland: "Hearts are going well. They are a difficult side to play against.

"I've been in derbies long enough. The tension, what it means, the commitment - how are you going to play silky soccer in these situations?"

Celtic are now only three points ahead of the Tynecastle club but the Glasgow side have played one game fewer, while Rangers, who are two points in front of third-place Hearts, have three games in hand.

Jefferies has a final league placing in mind, but is urging his players to push for as many SPL points as they can muster.

He said: "This season my target was for Hearts to be competing for third place because that is where we should be.

"If we get anything else, it's a bonus.

"The players have worked hard to maintain the run.

You could see the relief on everybody's face because we played a very determined and dogged Hibs team today Hearts manager Jim Jefferies

"When winning becomes a habit you get confidence and belief and we've got it abundance at the moment and we have shown a desire to pick up as many wins as we can."

The experienced Hearts manager acknowledged that their old adversaries had tested their resolve but pointed to the pair who combined for the goal as indicative of the home side's greater quality.

"Credit to Hibs. They fought for everything, they made it very difficult for us, but we were always the team on the front foot," said Jefferies.

"Colin (Calderwood) could not complain about the effort they put in but we had the better quality and we showed a real hunger to win that match today.

"We were worried about them breaking. They have some good players up front - (Derek) Riordan is always dangerous and Colin Nish had a chance on the break that he put past the post, but I think it would have been a travesty if that had gone in.

"We pressured them, we got balls into the box, we had shots on target but it just wouldn't fall for us, but Arvydas Novikovas came up with a great 15 minutes.

"What a great delivery for Kevin Kyle. That is a trademark goal for him, a header at the back post.

"You could see the relief on everybody's face because we played a very determined and dogged Hibs team today."

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