HEARTS seemingly can do no wrong at the minute.

Even when the opposition score - as Dumbarton did on Saturday - it becomes the cue for a celebration. Chris Kane's consolation would likely have frustrated goalkeeper Neil Alexander and his defence seeing it robbed them of a clean sheet but it delighted the vast majority of the travelling support at the Bet Butler stadium, given it brought up a 5-1 scoreline, sparking instant recall of the 2012 Scottish Cup win over Hibernian by the same margin. And when diehard Hibs man Ian Murray just happens to be there too, in his capacity as the Dumbarton manager, then it just seemed excite them even more.

Hearts have barely put a foot wrong since the start of the Ann Budge era, a regime that has delivered almost unqualified success. This was a 20th league game without defeat, a result that maintains their 13-point advantage over Rangers and keeps them safely on the road to the SPFL Championship title and an instant return to the top division.

They have recruited sensibly since the end of the transfer embargo, signing experienced figures to play alongside their talented young players like Jamie Walker and Sam Nicholson who were both excellent on Saturday, sharing three goals and three assists between them. Added to the picture this week was Genero Zeefuik, a former Dutch under-21 player signed on loan until the summer. A man mountain of a striker, Zeefuik showed instantly what he will bring to the title run-in by scoring twice before missing a penalty to deny himself a debut hat-trick.

The feelgood factor among a freezing Hearts support would have risen even further when, on their journey back to Edinburgh, they read a tweet from Craig Levein, the club's director of football, stating that Osman Sow, Dale Carrick and Soufian El Hassnaoui were all close to a return from injury. Everything is clicking into place for Hearts just now.

They head for Ibrox on Friday night bursting with confidence. Where once it would have been a match to have feared, Hearts' form should mean they start the match as favourites. Avoiding defeat would effectively see them crowned champions and, if Walker was too diplomatic to say as much, the winger did admit that they would have little qualms about taking on Rangers on their own patch.

"We are not top of the table for no reason so we will go to Ibrox, play our normal game and hopefully get the three points as well," he said. "I don't think you can say the title will be won if we avoid defeat. It won't be won until there are not enough points to catch us. We need to keep on winning every week because we have got the unbeaten record to look after as well."

It is difficult to see why anyone would want to leave Tynecastle given the imminent prospect of a title party but the lure of Spanish football could see Walker soon packing his bags. Real Betis, in the second division of La Liga, are thought to have watched the 21 year-old in recent action and he admits it was flattering to have his name mentioned in those dispatches.

"I was over the moon to be linked with Real Betis who are such a big club," he admitted. "I have not heard anything other than a few rumours and have taken a bit of stick from the lads in the dressing room. They are a big club and I am delighted to be speculated about like that so we will just see how that goes. Hearts are a big club too, we are top of the league and are going for the title. It would be a hard position to be in if it happened."

Dumbarton, meanwhile, were left to rue an afternoon when they conceded five and it could have been even more. They have punched above their weight in recent seasons as a part-time team but sometimes the gulf is insurmountable.

"Hearts probably do more training in one day than we do in a whole week," said defender Lee Mair. "They deserve to be at the top because of the work ethic they put in."