KEEP OUT OF IT VLAD

DUNDEE UTD 0

HEARTS 1

THEY said the No.1 couldn't be dropped but yesterday proved Mad Vlad's lunacy knows know bounds.

Craig Gordon - newly appointed Hearts captain, Scotland's best keeper and with a value of £5million - was axed two hours before kick-off at Tannadice.

After the trials and tribulations of Steven Pressley's departure then the madness in bombing Paul Hartley last week, the Jambos fans thought it couldn't get any worse. But it did.

Sure, they beat Dundee United yesterday thanks to a Hartley penalty in 55 minutes, but the day was dominated by Gordon's stunning omission.

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Young Christophe Berra was made skipper amid claims from the club Gordon was ill. Nonsense.

He warmed-up as normal with deputy Steve Banks before the game and at one point was ready to come ON when the Englishman got injured late in the game.

Vladimir Romanov and head coach Valdas Ivanauskas would have breathed a huge sigh of relief when Banks recovered from his head-knock.

But who knows what the repercussions of this could be, with Gordon said to be angry at his sudden demotion after just one week as captain.

The game itself wasn't pretty although it was enthralling all the same.

Banks was called into action after just three minutes when David Robertson's dipping volley from 25 yards forced him into an awkward save down low.

Hearts' main threat up front would come from Lithuanian hitman Andrius Velicka but he shamed himself by play-acting.

As he burst into the United box he took the most blatant of dives under a challenge from Derek Stillie.

It was a pathetic, embarrassing attempt for a penalty, which infuriated the Arabs.

Referee Charlie Richmond should have booked the striker having turned down his claim for a spot-kick.

United - on the back of four straight home wins for the first time in 10 years - were in confident mood and Barry Robson was again pulling the strings in midfield.

The Tannadice captain tested Banks twice in the space of two minutes with a brace of curling shots, which were smothered by the Jambos' deputy keeper.

His opposite number Derek Stillie proved his worth on 28 minutes with a fantastic stop.

Hartley drilled in a free-kick and Marius Zaliukas met it eight yards out but his stab at goal was brilliantly kept out by Stillie.

Almost immediately United missed the best chance of the match.

Collin Samuel got free of Robbie Neilson on the left wing and his slide-rule pass across the six-yard line was perfect for Craig Conway.

But with the goal gaping the former Ayr United kid skied his effort and was left kicking the advertising boards in frustration.

After just 30 seconds of the second period Hearts almost grabbed the lead. Velicka played a clever one-two with strike partner Michel Pospisil and drove in on goal.

But his clipped effort was kept out by another super Stillie save and Bruno Aguiar blazed the rebound over. In the 54th minute the visitors got in front from the spot after a Takis Fyssas' header cannoned off the hand of Stuart Duff.

Hartley stepped up and steered the ball beyond Stillie before racing towards the Hearts bench to celebrate defiantly with Gordon.

The Scotland midfielder was beginning to boss the game and set up Andrew Driver two minutes later but the winger sliced his shot wide. Pospisil should have sealed it for Hearts with 10 minutes left after Hartley's sublime pass but the Czech striker dragged his shot wide with just Stillie to beat.

At the other end, Robson produced a wonderful free-kick from 20-yards which rattled the bar and just seconds later Banks pulled off a fine one-handed save from another rasping setpiece from the United skipper.

In injury time, Robson was denied again when his glancing header was cleared off the line by Berra as the nervy Hearts defence rode their luck.

Afterwards, Neilson praised Hearts' emergency stopper saying: "I'm pleased for Banksy as he's a very good keeper.

"He's out of contract at the end of the season and I don't know if he'll get a new deal as he never seems to get a chance.

"But he was magnificent out there and we'd all like him to stay. In saying that, if it was my choice I'd have Craig back in for Tuesday's derby against Hibs."

REFWATCH

Charlie Richmond got the two penalty calls correct but should have booked Hearts striker Andruis Velicka for diving early on and was fussy at times over yardage. Could have let it flow a bit more. Rating: 6/10.

MATCH STAT

DUNDEE UTD v HEARTS

SHOTS ON 6

SHOTS OFF 6

OFFSIDE 1

FOULS 20

CORNERS 8

BOOKINGS 2

SHOTS ON 5

SHOTS OFF 5

OFFSIDE 6

FOULS 23

CORNERS 1

BOOKINGS 2

Taken from the Sunday Mail