League · SPL
Hearts3–2Dundee Utd
Steven Pressley 44′
Lee Miller 49′
Paul Hartley 86′
Barry Robson 19′
Alan Archibald 53′
Lineups
Hearts
Dundee Utd
Hearts · Starting XI
- Craig Gordon
- Robbie Neilson
- Steven Pressley
- Andy Webster
- Jamie McAllister
- Phil Stamp
- Neil MacFarlane
- Paul Hartley
- Joe Hamill
- Kevin McKenna
- Ramón Pereira
Dundee Utd · Starting XI
Hearts · Substitutes
- Tepi Moilanen
- Graham Weir
- Lee Wallace
- Lee Miller
- Dennis Wyness
- Stephen Simmons
- Christophe Berra
Dundee Utd · Substitutes
Hearts · Substitutions
- Lee Miller for Joe Hamill45′
- Dennis Wyness for Kevin McKenna62′
- Stephen Simmons for Neil MacFarlane76′
Dundee Utd · Substitutions
- Lee Mair for Grant Brebner65′
- Jason Scotland for Stevie Crawford84′
Hearts · Manager
- John Robertson
Dundee Utd · Manager
Hearts · Cautions
- Stephen Simmons84′
Dundee Utd · Cautions
Match report
United started the match brightly and could have gone ahead in the 5th minute when Brebner won the ball in midfield and fed Crawford. The debutant’s strike was blocked by Hearts goalkeeper Gordon and the chance was gone. Whilst Hearts began to threaten the United goal, the Tangerines went ahead on 19 minutes. McInnes won a free kick on the right hand side of the box, 20 yards out, and Robson’s deflected effort sailed into the top corner of the Hearts net. United could have gone in two up at half time but for a wonder save by Gordon. Kerr’s…Read moreRead less
United started the match brightly and could have gone ahead in the 5th minute when Brebner won the ball in midfield and fed Crawford. The debutant’s strike was blocked by Hearts goalkeeper Gordon and the chance was gone. Whilst Hearts began to threaten the United goal, the Tangerines went ahead on 19 minutes. McInnes won a free kick on the right hand side of the box, 20 yards out, and Robson’s deflected effort sailed into the top corner of the Hearts net.
United could have gone in two up at half time but for a wonder save by Gordon. Kerr’s 39th minute cross was met by Robson at the front post and his flicked header was somehow saved by the Hearts keeper. As luck would have it, it was all square at the interval. Hearts won a corner in the last minute of the first half and, as the ball was pitched into the middle of the area, Bullock came for the ball and missed and Pressley was on hand to volley into the empty net.
Two minutes into the second half, United fans were incensed by the referee’s decision to award Hearts a free kick for a foul on Miller 30 yards out. From the free kick McKenna’s knock down was tapped home by the aforementioned Miller for Hearts’ second goal. Four minutes later, United were again level – and it was a great set piece. As the Hearts defensive wall looked to close down either Wilson’s or Robson’s strike, the ball was knocked square to Archibald whose strike from 25 yards left Gordon with no chance. It was game on now and as both sides pressed for a winner; it was United who looked the more likely.
As the game reached its later stages, referee Mr Ritchie had the United crowd on their feet howling as, once again, one of his decisions appeared to baffle both players and supporters alike. He deemed a challenge by Ritchie on Wyness as unlawful and Hartley’s strike from 25 yards was deflected past Bullock into the United goal. Such was the discontent amongst the United team that Ritchie was booked before the game kicked off again. United came back at Hearts and McCracken could have snatched an equaliser in the last minute but his header just drifted past.
United could have gone in two up at half time but for a wonder save by Gordon. Kerr’s 39th minute cross was met by Robson at the front post and his flicked header was somehow saved by the Hearts keeper. As luck would have it, it was all square at the interval. Hearts won a corner in the last minute of the first half and, as the ball was pitched into the middle of the area, Bullock came for the ball and missed and Pressley was on hand to volley into the empty net.
Two minutes into the second half, United fans were incensed by the referee’s decision to award Hearts a free kick for a foul on Miller 30 yards out. From the free kick McKenna’s knock down was tapped home by the aforementioned Miller for Hearts’ second goal. Four minutes later, United were again level – and it was a great set piece. As the Hearts defensive wall looked to close down either Wilson’s or Robson’s strike, the ball was knocked square to Archibald whose strike from 25 yards left Gordon with no chance. It was game on now and as both sides pressed for a winner; it was United who looked the more likely.
As the game reached its later stages, referee Mr Ritchie had the United crowd on their feet howling as, once again, one of his decisions appeared to baffle both players and supporters alike. He deemed a challenge by Ritchie on Wyness as unlawful and Hartley’s strike from 25 yards was deflected past Bullock into the United goal. Such was the discontent amongst the United team that Ritchie was booked before the game kicked off again. United came back at Hearts and McCracken could have snatched an equaliser in the last minute but his header just drifted past.