Hearts 1
Dundee Utd 1
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

The goal drought may have ended at Tynecastle, but the script didn't alter too much as we fought out the seventh successive draw against Hearts. Hearts were first to come close to bringing the dearth of goals in this fixture to an end when John Colquhoun's first time effort from some 30 yards clipped the top of the bar. Mixu Paatelainen rose to head a Dave Bowman cross towards goal, but Henry Smith plucked the ball from under the bar. An even better chance fell our way in the 31st minute when Peter Hinds forced an error between Mclaren and Levein, but Henry Smith was on hand to turn his shot round the post. Kevin Gallacher's cross from the resultant corner was headed in by Mixu Paatelainen but the referee ruled that Smith had been fouled. As half-time approached the all too familiar pattern of a goalless draw appeared on the cards.

Hearts might well have gone ahead six minutes into the second half when Scott Crabbe's free kick from some 30 yards out struck the post. Scott Crabbe was the unwitting architect of the long awaited goal. The striker found himself in space, but miskicked and the ball went slithering out to the left where Colquhoun picked up on Crabbe's error to return the ball into the middle for Dave McPherson, to head home powerfully from close range. The Tynecastle men's lead was to be short-lived. Freddy Van Der Hoorn won the ball in midfield. Kevin Gallacher quickly pushed the ball out to Peter Hinds and his square ball was met by Jim McInally. His first effort was blocked by Smith, but the ball bounced up and Jim bundled the ball over the line. Thereafter a draw looked inevitable and so it proved to be.