Hearts 1 Dundee 0

By Ronnie Esplin, PA Sport

UEFA-bound Hearts capped a fine season with a hard-fought but deserved 1-0 win over Dundee at Tynecastle.

It was Mark De Vries who got the all-important breakthrough after 78 minutes following great work by substitute Stephane Mahe, who had come on to make his final appearance for the Edinburgh club before returning to France.

The third-placed Jambos can now look forward to their UEFA Cup spot next season while Dundee, who worked hard but failed to create much, will be looking for an improvement for their Scottish Cup final clash at Hampden next week against Rangers.

It was the visitors who had the first effort on goal after just four minutes but midfielder Garry Brady's speculative shot from 30 yards went well wide of the target.

Moments later, Dundee's talented striker Fabian Caballero had a weak effort from the edge of the box which trundled through to Hearts keeper Tepi Moilanen who gathered gratefully.

The home side nearly took the lead in the 13th minute when a Joe Hamill cross from the left was met by De Vries but the big Dutchman's diving header went inches wide of Julian Speroni's left hand post.

Minutes later, De Vries was presented with a decent chance when the Dundee defence went to sleep but the big striker hesitated and allowed Speroni to gather at the second attempt.

At the other end, Dundee's powerful midfielder Gavin Rae sent Stevie Lovell clear but the ex-Pompey player's angled shot from 12 yards hit the side net.

On the half-hour Hearts midfielder Alan Maybury's shot from 25 yards broke the monotony a little but the Irishman's poor effort rolled harmlessly through to Speroni.

Still the game refused to burst into life but in the 39th minute Jambos defender Robbie Neilson's poor header almost let Lovell clean through but skipper Steven Pressley was on hand to mop up, much to the relief of the young full-back.

At half-time, Hearts' new signings for next season Dennis Wyness, from Inverness Caley, and Paul Hartley, the ex-Hibs player from St Johnstone, were paraded before the Jambos fans who gave both players a good reception.

After the interval it was the home side who went straight into attack and they had a decent penalty claim turned down within a minute of the restart when the ball struck Nacho Novo's hand inside the Dundee penalty area but referee Willie Young - probably correctly - ignored the pleas from the Hearts players.

The Jambos kept up the pressure but there was too much brawn and not enough guile and the Dundee defence held firm.

Both teams were still putting in the pre-requisite effort but it appeared to be stalemate, typified by Hearts midfielder Scott Severin who had a couple of long-range efforts which failed to hit the target.

In the 71st minute the home side should have taken the lead when striker Gary Wales, on as a second-half substitute for Hamill, was presented with an open goal by De Vries who cut the ball back from the byline.

But from only six yards out, the former Hamilton player carelessly mis-kicked and the ball went agonisingly wide.

However, the home side did eventually go ahead in the 78th minute with help from Mahe who was making his last appearance in a Hearts shirt.

The ex-Celtic player, on for Austin McCann, did well to reach the byline and his pin-point cross from the left was met by the head of De Vries who gave Speroni no chance from 10 yards.

Teams

Hearts Moilanen, Maybury, Pressley, Webster, McCann (Mahe 71), MacFarlane, Severin, Neilson, Hamill (Valois 64), de Vries, Weir (Wales 50).

Subs Not Used: McKenzie, Boyack.

Goals: de Vries 78.

Dundee Speroni, Smith, Mair, Wilkie, Hernandez Santos (Carranza 79), Brady, Nemsadze (Jablonski 69), Rae, Caballero, Novo, Lovell (Burchill 76).

Subs Not Used: Langfield, Khizanishvili.

Booked: Caballero.

Att: 12,205

Ref: W Young (Scotland).

Taken from sportinglife.com