Hearts 1 Dundee 2

By Lisa Gray, PA Sport

Steve Lovell scored twice to earn Dundee their first away win of the season against Hearts at Tynecastle.

The former Portsmouth forward grabbed the opener in the 26th minute following a poor clearance by Jambos goalkeeper Roddy McKenzie.

But Canadian international Kevin McKenna equalised on the hour mark when he hit home from Jean-Louis Valois' corner.

However, the Dens Park side clinched the points when Lovell struck his second just seven minutes later.

For Hearts, this was a chance to get back on track following their disappointing result against Celtic last Sunday which had ended an impressive run.

But defeat at the hands of Partick Thistle in the CIS Insurance Cup at Firhill on Tuesday had made Dundee's need to pick up their first win of the season even greater.

It was the home side who started strongest and they could have taken the lead after just one minute when Phil Stamp squared the ball to Mark de Vries from the right flank but the club's top goalscorer sent the ball over the crossbar from six yards.

The Tynecastle side had another good chance to open the scoring after 12 minutes when McKenna managed to connect with Valois' corner and almost managed to bundle the ball over the line but he was denied by Dundee goalkeeper Julian Speroni who managed to block at the near post.

But Dundee were starting to come into the game more and they surged into the lead in the 26th minute.

A poor throw-out from McKenzie to Paul McMullan was intercepted by Nacho Novo who played the ball to Fabian Caballero.

The Argentinian turned in the box before providing the cross that allowed Lovell to net from close range.

Hearts could have levelled on the half-hour mark when they were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the 18-yard box but Valois cannoned the shot off the crossbar.

Stephen Simmons followed up with a superb rebound shot but referee John Underhill had blown for a foul on Speroni by Gary Wales.

The goalkeeper then kept his side in the lead just five minutes before the break.

Wales showed great skill to take the ball past Tom Hutchinson before unleashing a shot which looked destined for the top left corner but Speroni produced a great save to deny the Hearts player.

The Tynecastle side were still searching for the equaliser and that almost came four minutes after the re-start.

Valois picked out McKenna in the box from the corner and he nodded into the path of Steven Pressley but the big defender somehow sent the ball over the crossbar from a few yards out.

However, Hearts' hard work eventually paid off when they drew level with Dundee on the hour mark.

Once again, Valois picked out McKenna from a corner and this time the Canadian international stabbed home from close range at the far post.

The home side were boosted by the goal and could have taken the lead seconds later when Stamp's thunderous effort was denied only by the quick reflexes of Speroni.

Instead, it was Dundee who were destined to net again when Novo went on a good run before feeding the ball through to Lovell and he did well to fire the ball past McKenzie to grab his second goal of the day in the 67th minute.

Caballero could have added to Dundee's tally when he decided to try his luck with a 30-yard drive but his shot fell just wide of the post with 15 minutes remaining.

The Argentinian had another chance at goal just two minutes later when he met a pass from Novo and unleashed a shot from inside the area but the effort took a deflection off Pressley.

Lovell could have completed his hat-trick with an effort late in the game but he nodded over the crossbar.

Teams:

Hearts: McKenzie, Maybury (Kirk 83), Pressley, McKenna, McMullan, Simmons (Twaddle 68), Severin, Stamp, Valois, de Vries (Janczyk 83), Wales.

Subs Not Used: Gordon, Webster.

Booked: Stamp.

Goals: McKenna 60.

Dundee: Speroni, MacKay, Wilkie, Hutchinson, Hernandez Santos, Smith, Brady, Rae, Novo, Caballero, Lovell.

Subs Not Used: Langfield, Khizanishvili, Nemsadze, Mair, Sara.

Booked: Lovell.

Goals: Lovell 26, 67.

Att: 10,169

Ref: J Underhill (Scotland).

Taken from sportinglife.com