Dundee United 0 Hearts 0

It was no more than the home side deserved for Hearts started off as strong favourites for victory after beating Rangers in their opening league game.

The visitors' strength in depth was emphasised by Jim Jefferies' decision to leave out midfielder Lee Makel in favour of Steve Fulton and ex-United hero Steve Pressley was also a substitute.

But United's hard work looked like it might all be in vain when Steve Thompson was shown the red card by referee Stuart Dougal for an innocuous looking tackle on Gary Locke late in the game.

In the last minute Fulton sent a superb ball through to Neil McCann and the winger saw his fierce net-bound effort pushed away by Dykstra.

And when Fulton returned the loose ball into the danger zone, the former QPR keeper brought off another fabulous save from David Weir's close range header.

Former Luton defender Darren Patterson made his debut for United but fellow Northern Ireland international Iain Jenkins was out with a hamstring injury.

The home side had started well enough but Patterson had his first taste of rough justice when he was booked for a soft looking foul on Stephane Adam after only eight minutes.

One minute later Joe Miller sent in a deep cross which forced Locke into a last-ditch clearance with Kjell Olofsson racing in.

Veteran Maurice Malpas was the home hero in the 12th minute when Paul Ritchie laid back Fulton's freekick for Thomas Flogel to shoot from 12 yards but the United skipper spectacularly cleared the ball off the line.

It was a dull affair after that but as the interval approached United claimed a penalty when an early Olofsson cross almost found Roger Boli.

The Frenchman claimed he had been pushed by Ritchie but referee Dougal waved away his appeals.

Fulton was next to go into the book for a foul on Lars Zetterlund.

Two minutes after the break Hearts keeper Gilles Rousset had his first real save when Patterson powered in a 10-yard header from Miller's corner.

The visitors then worked a well rehearsed move between Adam and Jim Hamilton but the latter's weak shot provided no threat for Dykstra.

Flogel was next to be yellow carded for persistent fouling then United suffered a bad blow when the impressive Siggi Jonsson was stretchered off after going down with no-one near him.

Hearts came close after 66 minutes when Weir sent McCann through but Dykstra quickly left his line and forced the winger to shoot past.

United substitute Andy McLaren was booked for diving then his teammate Thompson suffered a worse fate for the challenge on Locke but the home side held out for their unexpected but deserved point.

Teams

Dundee Utd: Dykstra, Malpas, Jonsson (McLaren 58), Patterson, Olofsson, Zetterlund (Easton 55), Boli (Thompson 76), Miller, Skoldmark, Mols, Pascual.

Subs Not Used: McSwegan, Combe.

Sent Off: Thompson (89).

Booked: McLaren.

Hearts: Rousset, Naysmith, Weir, Salvatori, Ritchie, McCann, Fulton, Adam, Hamilton, Locke, Flogel.

Subs Not Used: Makel, Pressley, Hogarth, Horn, Holmes.

Booked: Fulton, Flogel.

Att: 9,629

Ref: S Dougal (Glasgow)


Taken from sportinglife.com