The roads and the smiles to Dundee for Hamill

ALEX O’HENLEY AT DENS PARK

DUNDEE 1- 1 HEARTS

ALMOST predictably, this one ended in a stalemate as Hearts maintained their impressive record against Dundee. The Jambos haven’t lost at Dens Park since 1999 and, while they dominated the first half of this encounter, they will have been relieved to have departed Dundee with their record intact after Jim Duffy’s side had threatened to chalk up a second successive league win. Fabian Caballero put the home side ahead after 54 minutes; his first goal in his second spell at Dens Park, but Hearts manager John Robertson responded with an inspired substitution that paid immediate dividends. Joe Hamill was barely on the park when he equalised with his first touch and the same player almost won the game for Hearts with a powerful drive in the final minutes.

Dundee had been boosted with the news that centre-back Lee Wilkie signed a new two-year deal with the club after spending the best part of 12 months on the sidelines with cruciate ligament damage and the Scotland international featured prominently in the early stages. With five minutes on the clock he was caught in possession outside the area, allowing Dennis Wyness to race through on goal. However, the player who scored the winner against Partick Thistle in the Scottish Cup in midweek couldn’t find the same composure on this occasion and lifted his shot over. Wyness was sent through again a minute later after a neat one-two with strike partner Lee Miller, but again failed to trouble Derek Soutar in the Dundee goal, although the near-side assistant referee had flagged for offside in any case.

Having dominated the opening period, Hearts then almost gifted Dundee the opening goal following a comedy of errors at the back. Goalkeeper Craig Gordon was short with a clearance to Jamie McAllister on the left side of the area who was subsequently dispossessed by the eager Neil Barrett and when his cross came in Tam McManus’s snapshot flashed into the sidenetting.

Wilkie was showing signs of ring rustiness after almost a year out and, was caught in possession in dangerous positions on a number of occasions, but the towering centre-back also poses a major threat in opposition areas and in the 27th minute Caballero should have profited from one of his knock-downs. Instead the Argentinian striker shot lamely into the grateful arms of Gordon from 12 yards with the goal at his mercy.

Caballero made amends early in the second half by creating and finishing the move that led to the opener. John Sutton caused panic in the Hearts rearguard with a run from the halfway line that took him into the box; his lay-off found Caballero, whose shot from the angle of the six-yard area was deflected over by McAllister with Gordon beaten. From the resulting corner Hearts failed to clear their lines and Gordon produced a reflex save to deny McManus, but he could only parry it to Caballero, who stooped to head the ball back across the keeper and into the net.

Robertson made an immediate substitution, with Hamill replacing the ineffectual Ramon Pereira and with his first touch the young midfielder levelled the scores. A high ball into the box was missed by everyone apart from Miller lurking at the back post and his header back across the face found Hamill, who calmly swept the ball past Soutar.

Dundee sought to regain their advantage and Wilkie once again caused panic at the back for Hearts when he outjumped Steven Pressley to set up an opportunity for John Sutton. Although the Englishman got plenty of power on his shot, it lacked the necessary direction and sailed into the stand behind Gordon’s goal. At the other end Hamill almost stole the points for Hearts in the closing minutes when he fastened onto a loose ball 20 yards from goal; Soutar looked to have it covered but was surely relieved to see the ball rise just over the crossbar.

Dundee: Soutar; McNally, Wilkie, Macdonald, Robb; Barrett, Smith, Fotheringham; Caballero, McManus (Robertson 77), Sutton. Subs not used: Jack; Mann, Larsen, Credeira, Clark, Kitamirike.

Hearts: Gordon; Nielson, Pressley, Webster, McAllister; McFarlane (Simmons 71), Stamp, Hartley, Pereira (Hamill 58); Wyness (Weir 64), Miller. Subs not used: Moilanen; McKenna, Weir, Berra, Stewart.

Referee: W. Young

Taken from the Scotsman