Hearts 2 Dundee Utd 0

By PA Sport Staff

Hearts striker Mark de Vries bagged his eighth goal of the season as the Jambos maintained their excellent start to the campaign with a 2-0 victory over Dundee United at Tynecastle.

The hitman's second-half strike and a fine finish from Jean-Louis Valois for his first goal for the club before the interval gave Craig Levein's team a well-deserved triumph.

Hearts' win kept them tucked in third place in the table behind the Old Firm and there was no question that they fully merited the success.

However, it was another day of disappoinment for dismal United. The Tannadice side have a decent record at the Edinburgh venue in recent seasons, but, despite a promising start, they never looked capable of taking any points back to Tayside.

United enjoyed decent possession in the opening exchanges, but they struggled to engineer any clear chances against a defence well organised by Steven Pressley.

Hearts were first to threaten when Stuart Duff made a poor attempt to clear a Steven Boyack cross.

Scott Severin was quickly onto the loose ball, but he dragged his shot wide of target from 14 yards.

United responded in positive fashion and Steven Thompson, in front of watching Scotland manager Berti Vogts, drilled a crisp drive straight into the grateful arms of Roddy McKenzie.

Charlie Miller then worked a clever one-two with Derek Lilley and drove into the penalty area but his shot drifted wide and United were soon to regret their failings in front of goal.

De Vries has been an inspired signing by Levein, but the striker's miscue in front of Paul Gallacher's goal bizarrely led to Hearts' opener in the 26th minute.

Boyack's cross from the right was totally missed by the unmarked Dutchman in front of goal but Valois ghosted in behind his team-mate and sent a low drive whistling past Gallacher from 10 yards.

Valois' strike settled Hearts and the French goalscorer was at the centre of most of the home side's good work and his clever flicks and touches had the home fans of their feet.

United's frustration was growing and Warren Cummings and Thompson were both booked - along with home hero De Vries - in a niggly eight-minute spell.

Hearts leapt out of the blocks after the restart as they attempted to grab a second.

Valois created a terrific opening for Andy Kirk in the 50th minute when his delightful reverse pass gave the youngster a clear sight of goal.

Kirk rounded the advancing Gallacher, but his shot from an acute angle missed the target and nestled in the side-netting.

The Northern Irish striker then miscued a header from a dangerous Severin free-kick, but De Vries managed to net the all-important second strike in the 56th minute.

Boyack's deep corner found the Dutchman at the far post and his accurate volley was adjudged to have crossed the line by the assistant referee.

United looked down and out. Danny Griffin tried to inspire a fightback with a 20-yard free-kick, but his effort soared high and over the target.

Miller and Lilley were replaced by Jim Paterson and Allan Smart as United went for broke.

But it made little difference to the flow of the game and only a marvellous save from Gallacher denied Hearts a third goal after 67 minutes.

Kirk's powerful header from a precise Paul McMullan cross looked a certain score until Gallacher dived low to his right to make a superb point-blank save.

The points were safe and, although United made a couple of late half-chances, Hearts cruised through the final moments to stay in the slipstream of the Old Firm.

Teams:

Hearts: McKenzie, Maybury, Pressley, McKenna, McMullan, Boyack, Stamp, Severin, Valois, de Vries (Wales 81), Kirk.

Subs Not Used: Gordon, Webster, McCann, McGeown.

Booked: de Vries.

Goals: Valois 26, de Vries 56.

Dundee Utd: Gallacher, Wilson, Duff, Lauchlan, McGowne, Cummings, Easton, Griffin, Miller (Paterson 62), Lilley (Smart 65), Thompson.

Subs Not Used: Jarvie, McCraken.

Booked: Cummings, Thompson, Griffin.

Att: 11,532

Ref: S Dougal (Scotland).

Taken from sportinglife.com