Hearts 3-0 Dundee United

Paul Hartley gave the home team the perfect start with a neat sidefoot finish after just four minutes.

Rudi Skacel's free-kick was then missed by everyone and curled its way into the visitors' net for the midfielder's 10th goal of the season.

Michal Pospisil stroked in a third goal, while United's Barry Robson saw his penalty well saved by Craig Gordon.

The Tynecastle side are now three points clear of Celtic, who are at Falkirk on Sunday.

Hearts started at a whirlwind pace and stormed into the lead through the impressive Hartley.

Saulius Mikoliunas drove at the United defence and his clever reverse pass at the edge of the visitors' penalty area found the on-rushing Scotland international, who confidently slipped in a shot from 12 yards.

The Taysiders almost struck back immediately, but striker Lee Miller's unconvincing header from a Barry Robson cross went wide of the target.

In the 15th minute Hearts defender Takis Fyssas moved up to send a speculative 30-yard shot inches over the bar.

Skacel then came close with a fierce shot that Derek Stillie awkwardly kept out with his elbow.

United were putting the home side under increasing pressure but fell further behind when they failed to deal with a Skacel free-kick.

The Czech international chipped in from around 35 yards in the hope of finding the head of one of his team-mates.

But the cross carried through untouched until the flailing Stillie helped the ball into the net.

Just before the interval Skacel's angled shot from the by-line had Stillie saving again before the danger was eventually cleared by David McCracken.

In the 50th minute, Robson, drew a great save from Craig Gordon with a curling shot from 25 yards, which the Scotland international flew through the air to clutch.

But, in the 57th minute, the home side made sure of the points when Pospisil added a simple tap-in.

Hartley charged down Alan Archibald's attempted clearance then squared the ball 12 yards out for the Czech striker to stroke past Stillie.

In the 66th minute, Steven Pressley clumsily tripped Robson inside the area and the United midfielder took the spot-kick himself.

Robson's powerful drive down the middle was brilliantly parried by Gordon and the Tynecastle keeper was equal to Robson's second attempt with the head.

In the 82nd minute, Pospisil headed Mikoliunas' cross against the bar from only 10 yards out before carelessly sending the rebound over.

Then Stillie made a fine double save, first from Callum Elliot and then substitute Stephen Simmons.

Hearts: Gordon, Neilson, Fyssas, Pressley, Webster, Skacel (McAllister 81), Hartley (Wallace 75), Mikoliunas, Pospisil (Simmons 84), Elliot, Brellier. Subs Not Used: Banks, Camazzola, Cesnauskis, Tall.

Booked: Brellier. Goals: Hartley 4, Skacel 28, Pospisil 57.

Dundee Utd: Stillie, McCracken, Archibald, Canero, Kerr, Brebner (McInnes 32), Miller, Robson, Fernandez (Wilson 69), Samuel, Ritchie. Subs Not Used: Samson, McIntyre, Duff, Kenneth, Robertson.

Booked: Canero.

Att: 16,617

Ref: C Thomson

Taken from the BBC