'Unbelievable' Craig Gordon makes Hearts boss Neil Critchley purr as Cammy Devlin's extended absence explained

Gordon produced a stunning save to deny Sam Curtis just before the capital side went up the pitch and scored their winning goal

Neil Critchley thanked Craig Gordon for the moment of match-winning magic that kept Hearts hot on the heels of rivals for a top-six spot.

The 42-year-old produced a stunning point-blank stop from Sam Curtis just after Adama Sidibeh had dragged the home side level. The Sheffield United teenager was left stunned by the reactions of a man who was already Hearts and Scotland number one before he was born in December 2005. And Saints were reeling within a minute as Hearts fed off that fabulous save with Elton Kabangu’s second goal.

Hearts moved to within a point of the top half, a vital job done after the surprise successes of Hibernian and St Mirren against the Old Firm “It was an incredible save,” stressed Critchley. “It was a match-winning save. It doesn't surprise me, to be honest with you, because you see it every day in training. The way he trains, the way he conducts himself, he is so invaluable to us.

“We go down the other end within a minute and we score the winner. That's the fine margins of this game. Anyone else, it probably would have been a goal. But Craigie's reflexes and reactions are unbelievable. That was a fantastic stop.”

Kabangu, assisted twice by Lawrence Shankland, became his club’s top scorer for the season on seven goals. The Belgian only started his loan from Union Saint-Gilloise six weeks ago.

He’s relishing a role up top with young James Wilson while Shankland pulls the strings in behind. The Saints defenders didn’t have an answer for Kabangu preying on the shoulder and Shankland providing the prompts.

It was the perfect response from the striker to the setback of missed chances in defeat to Rangers last Sunday. Critchley said: “I’m so pleased for Elton. He's such a positive guy, so infectious - exactly the type of person we want to bring to Hearts, that character.

“Yes, he was disappointed after last week, naturally, but he doesn't let it affect him. He bounces back because of his mentality, which is outstanding. That's where he gets the rewards.

“His first goal was a great goal, a proper centre-forward's goal. He's right in there to tap it in. And the second goal, he just put his foot through it, went for it, and he hit it.”

Meanwhile, Critchley revealed Cammy Devlin was missing because he’s still suffering from the impact of concussion sustained against St Mirren a fortnight ago. “Cammy's not quite right, unfortunately,” he reported. “We had to take a step back because he had effects after the training session.

“We give him time to rest and start to go again. His health is obviously the most important thing. We just have to take it day by day and monitor him and see how he is.”