Dundee Utd 0
Hearts 3
League (SPL)

Match Report

United will go into the New Year without a home win in the league this season following their 0-3 defeat to Hearts this afternoon at Tannadice. United have now not beaten the Tynecastle side at Tannadice since May 1997. Lining up in their black Centenary strip, Manager Paul Hegarty’s team selection was hit by late call offs from Mark Wilson and David McCracken. The central defensive partnership from the beginning of the campaign, Jim Lauchlan and Kevin McGowan, were restored to the heart of the Tangerine defence. Jim McIntyre was out through suspension and Steven Thompson was missing through injury. Former United player Steven Pressley was ruled fit for the visitors and played from the start.

Both sides had opportunities in the first stages of the match but it was the visitors who made the breakthrough after 25 minutes following Lauchlan being penalised for a foul on Kirk. From the resulting Maybury free kick, Mark de Vries headed his tenth goal of the season to put Craig Levein’s side ahead. Andy Kirk severely damaged United’s comeback hopes when he added a second minutes before the interval.

Hearts added a third shortly after the break, again through Kirk who tapped in a Boyack cross. The third goal was the killer and Hearts ran out comfortable winners.