Hearts' message to Celtic and Rangers is loud and clear as title contenders survive horrid night and VAR check

This encounter with the Bairns had all the hallmarks of banana skin: 8pm kick-off, live on Sky Sports amid filthy playing conditions of wind and rain. But this Hearts team is not easily derailed. They survived a couple of hairy moments - most notably a VAR check for a penalty - to win 2-0 thanks to goals from Claudio Braga and Stephen Kingsley.

Hearts were not at their best. On a night like this, it's all about grinding out the win. They were helped by an excellent defensive showing from centre-halves Craig Halkett and Stuart Findlay, who dealt with most balls that were thrown at them. And at the other end, they have the livewire poacher Braga to sniff out goals.

The Portuguese was the man who set Hearts on their way last weekend in a momentum-shifting 2-1 win at nearest challengers Celtic and he was at it again here. He is the darling of the supporters, who sang his song to the tune of Radio Gaga the whole match. Don't be surprised if the signing from Aalesunds is in the hunt for player of the year.

This was another example of Hearts' title credentials. We should not be taken aback any more. Celtic have two games in hand but with 38 points now on the board as we approach the halfway stage of the season, those at Tynecastle must now be thinking they can win this league.

For Falkirk, this was the fourth game in a row that they have failed to score - albeit in a testing run of fixtures that has included Rangers, Motherwell, Hibs and Hearts. They need more in the final third to be competitive against the higher-ranked teams.

Falkirk were not helped by Hearts getting off to the perfect start. There were 66 seconds on the clock when Lawrence Shankland unleashed a powerful drive that Falkirk keeper Scott Bain tipped on to the underside of the crossbar. As the ball bounced down in the six-yard box, Braga reacted fastest and hurled himself towards the ball, heading home for his eighth league goal of the campaign.

Falkirk kept at bay by Hearts

Halkett then had a header blocked and Shankland curled wide from a decent position. To their credit, Falkirk did not let their heads dip because of the early goal and set about restoring parity. Henry Cartwright started to influence the midfield battle and shuttled the ball wide. Halkett and Findlay stood firm. The hosts could not fashion a proper opening.

Shankland put another effort off target on the half-hour mark but Hearts were losing their way slightly. Manager Derek McInnes was getting increasingly agitated with sloppy passing. The visitors could do with the interval.

Falkirk created a serious opportunity on 41 minutes - one that was laced with controversy. A sweet pass from Alfredo Agyeman sent Kyrell Wilson through on goal, with the Swansea loanee steadying himself before rounding Hearts keeper Alexander Schwolow. What he hadn't bargained for was Harry Milne racing back to his goalline and blocking a certain equaliser. The left-back was mobbed by his teammates.

However, there was a VAR check for a potential penalty. Replays showed the ball had clearly struck Milne's forearm, but it was right across his body. Where we are with handball right now is anyone's guess. Referee Calum Scott could easily have been sent to the pitchside monitor for an on-field review but back at Clydesdale House, VAR Andrew Dallas deemed it unnecessary, most likely because Milne did not make his body intentionally bigger even if the action stopped a goal. Hearts averted danger and went to the sheds a goal to the good.

The beginning of the second half was scrappy. Hearts were the first to post a moment of note on 56 minutes when Bain plunged across his goal to tip behind a driving header from Braga.

Falkirk wasted a really good opportunity on 68 minutes when Agyeman earned a free-kick right on the edge of the penalty box. Ethan Ross curled it towards goal but the ball smacked off the unwitting Agyeman and rolled away for a goal kick. Bairns boss John McGlynn responded by bringing on veteran striker Brian Graham as part of a triple sub.

McInnes made his own change on 74 minutes by introducing experienced defender Kingsley. His job was to shore up the backline amid a predicted Falkirk onslaught but he surpassed those expectations with a majestic strike three minutes later, lashing home from 25 yards to seal the win.