Hearts 0
Dundee Utd 0
League (SPL)

Match Report

Peter Houston continued to ring the changes for United as only five of the 11 who started against Rangers were in the starting line-up. Dusan Pernis, Craig Hill and Damian Casalinuovo dropped to the bench, there was no place for Kevin Smith in the squad, Danny Cadamarteri was out injured while Morgaro Gomis was serving the first match of his suspension. In to the first team came goalkeeper Stevie Banks, captain Andy Webster, Craig Conway, Scott Robertson, Jon Daly and David Goodwillie.

The opening quarter of an hour offered little in the way of inventiveness from either team, as both sides struggled to settle on a bobbly pitch. Hearts came closest after 12 minutes when Lee Wallce fired a teasing low ball across the face of the United goal after good interplay with Suso Santana but there was no one there to apply the vital finishing touch. United’s first real chance arrived after 21 minutes from their first corner. Craig Conway swung one in high from the right which Garry Kenneth attacked with the downward header but ‘keeper Jamie MacDonald was there to turn it behind. Minutes later, another Craig Conway set-piece allowed Jon Daly a header at goal but again this was deflected wide for the corner. United had a great chance after 35 minutes when a lovely flowing move saw Conway played into the box. He appeared to be tripped by Ismael Bouzid but stayed on his feet, managed to stab a shot at the keeper who parried only for Conway to be blocked at point-blank range by the defender as he went for the rebound. Several United players pleaded for the penalty for the original foul but their protests were waved away by referee Stephen Finnie. United did have the ball in the net a minute later but again referee Finnie disappointed the travelling support by blowing for a foul by Andy Webster on Ruben Palazuelos as the United captain rose to head the ball past MacDonald.

This was a game that was slow to get going. United didn’t really threaten for the first 20 minutes but once they came into the game, they looked sharper than Hearts who were slightly shot-shy. Neither goalkeeper really had much to do in the opening period and it was no surprise that the teams went into their respective dressing rooms goalless. United emerged for the second half minus captain Webster as he was replaced by Danny Swanson, with Sean Dillon moving into central defence and David Robertson dropping back into the left back role. United started with a bit more purpose in the second half and the first real chance of the second 45 fell to them. A controlled header forward from Jon Daly put David Goodwillie through. He turned his man left then right before firing a low shot across MacDonald’s goal and just wide of the far post. It was to be Goodwillie’s final contribution to the game as he was withdrawn to be replaced by Andis Shala. After 65 minutes, Hearts went as close as they’d been. Suso Santana was halted in his run in the box by Keith Watson but the ball broke to David Templeton whose half-volley looked netbound until Stevie Banks managed at full stretch to somehow push it wide. Ryan Stevenson then tried his luck from just outside the box but his powerful shot flew just over Banks’ bar as Hearts continued to exert a bit of pressure. Back came United though and Craig Conway forced a save out of MacDonald with a 25-yard free kick that was heading for the top left-hand corner. Then with 17 minutes left Prince Buaben and substitute Shala got in each others way inside the opposition box after a ball over from Jennison Myrie-Williams, on for Scott Robertson. As the minutes ticked down, the Hearts fans began to lift the roof off Tynecastle as they saw their team force a number of corners. However, the United defence held firm and it was United who went closest in the closing minutes as three times they went on counter attacks only for Craig Conway to see his shots blocked and Myrie-Williams stopped in the box. In at game that got a bit more feisty as time went on, two players from each side saw yellow in the second half. Bookings for Hearts men Ismael Bouzid for a foul on Craig Conway and Ruben Palazuelos for a challenge on Danny Swanson sandwiched yellow cards for United men Swanson and and Scott Robertson.

Match report written by Ross Burns