My Hearts players are ‘hell bent’ on winning this title, admits boss Derek McInnes after Tomas Magnusson’s late goal puts Jambos six points clear

Derek McInnes admitted his players are ‘hell bent’ on lifting the Premiership title as Tomas Magnusson’s 88th-minute derby winner moved Hearts six points clear at the top.

The substitute’s late stunner settled a tense and scrappy contest with Hibs as the league leaders bounced back from their defeat to St Mirren in Paisley last week with a 1-0 victory.

Hearts can now sit back as closest challengers Rangers and Celtic try to keep up the pressure with their games against Motherwell and Livingston respectively on Wednesday evening.

McInnes was thrilled by the manner in which his players dug deep to secure what felt like a pivotal victory in their season – and one which sets them up perfectly for their trip to face Rangers at Ibrox on Sunday.

‘We found a way to score a goal and deserved to win because of that,’ said the Hearts manager. ‘We are top of the league for a reason and deserve respect for that.

‘We’ve got a group of lads who are hell bent on making the most of this. We’ve got 12 games left and let’s see where it takes us.

It’s the 88th-minute moment of magic for Hearts as sub Magnusson slides the ball home

A delighted Magnusson wheels away to celebrate his dramatic winner with team-mates

‘We are going to lose games and other teams around us will, too. Some of the fall-out from the St Mirren game was ridiculous. It was one game and we moved on.

‘How many times have you seen teams like Celtic and Rangers find a way to win when maybe not playing well? That’s what we did tonight.

‘There was no quarter given. Hibs didn’t let us settle and we tried not to let them settle. The game was so scrappy at times, such was the desire from both sets of supporters and players.

‘The game never really settled. Hibs caused us more anxiety in the first half, they had more of a threat at the top end of the pitch.

‘We changed the shape at half-time, went to a back three and had more calmness in our work. We got a wee bit more of a foothold in the game.

‘We can play a lot better, and we will need to in the games coming up, but derby games are about what’s under the bonnet and we’ve got that desire.

McInnes is hugged by a fan after the moment that could prove pivotal in  title race

Magnusson and his team-mates are ecstatic after late goal defeated city rivals Hibs

Hibs boss David Gray, above right, looks crestfallen as Magnusson begins the celebrations

‘You saw it with Harry Milne’s desire to get forward to set up the goal and Tomas Magnusson’s desire to get in the box and finish it.

‘We are asking a lot of our players just now, with some key ones missing, and what a brilliant result it is for us.’

Hibernian counterpart David Gray felt his side paid the price for switching off in the closing stages.

‘You get nothing if you don’t defend for 90 plus minutes,’ said Gray. ‘We were better than the last time we came here but, unfortunately, we failed to do the basics properly for the whole game. We need to move on quickly, we can’t afford to feel sorry for ourselves’.