Morgaro Gomis proves class act for Dundee Utd

Morgaro Gomis was not alone in believing this was as good a performance from him and his Dundee United team-mates this season. It was there for all to see, and the slightly-built midfield player, plucked from Cowdenbeath less than a year ago, showed what a class act he is and why Craig Levein, his manager, presented him with a new contract and a wage increase just a few weeks ago.

Gomis and his midfield colleagues, Willo Flood, Prince Buaben, Noel Hunt and Barry Robson, the team captain, did the job asked of them — to control the area of the pitch where Heart of Midlothian were deemed potentially dangerous. They not only did that but they did so with style and flair and produced a display of quality against a side which, at least for much of the first half, threatened to avenge the 4-0 defeat they suffered at home to United last March.

“The first half was even,” Gomis said, despite his side going in at the interval two goals ahead. “But in the second half we played a good passing game. It was probably the best we’ve played as a team. The manager asked me to keep the ball and make the passes and I think I managed to do that. Our aim is to be in the top six and then see what we can do from there, maybe the top four. I have been working really hard and I think that’s why things are going so well for me.”

Jordan Robertson’s two first-half goals could be instrumental in United requesting Sheffield United, from whom the 19-year-old striker is on loan, for talks on a possible permanent deal, though Levein will leave that for the time being. Robertson may have been on his own up front but his speed of thought allowed him the space to pump two impressive goals into the net of Steve Banks, the Hearts goalkeeper, whose defence afforded him little protection.

Banks admitted last night to having been stunned by those goals, particularly because of the amount of possession the Tynecastle side had had up to and after they were scored.

“I think we were hit by a couple of suckers punches,” he said, “with them putting their big defenders up front at set-pieces and we didn’t cope with them very well and they ended up two-nil up. As far as the result went we are disappointed. I think the lads showed endeavour and the will to win but we lacked the cutting edge.”

The sizzling nature of this game was matched only by its drama as United gained and retained the upper hand in the second half and produced football which was both attractive and entertaining as their rejuvenation under Levein continued.

Those Hearts fans still in the stadium near the end then watched as Calum Elliot, their striker, kept out Lee Wilkie’s 88th-minute effort from Robson’s corner kick with his hand — he was given his marching orders before the United captain converted the spot kick with the confidence of a player on the top of his form.

Two minutes later, Grzegorz Szamotulski, United’s hugely-impressive goalkeeper, earned his second booking, and therefore a red card, as he clumsily barged into Mauricia Pinella on the edge of the area, to offer the home side a free kick. It was one expertly converted by Laryea Kingston.

It was, however, too late for any potential revival but left Levein with a goalkeeper suspended for next weekend’s visit of Rangers and, with three other goalkeepers injured, wondering where he might find back-up for 19-year-old Euan McLean.

That, insisted Levein last night, while occupying his thoughts, would not be allowed to take the shine off what was a highly convincing and satisfying performance from his lowbudget side.

Heart of Midlothian 1 Kingston 90

(4-4-2): S Banks 6 — R Neilson 5, M Zaliukas 6, C Berra 6, J Goncalves 6 (sub: K Ivaskevicius, 87min) — L Kingston 7, M Stewart 6, E Jonsson 6, A Driver 5 (sub: A Ksanavicius, 46 5) — C Elliot 5, C Nade 5 (sub: M Pinilla, 61 5). Substitutes not used: E Kurskis, I Tall, C Karipidis, R Palazuelos. Booked: Kingston. Sent off: Elliot.

Dundee Utd 3 Robertson 14, 25, Robson 89 (pen)

(4-5-1): G Szamotulski 8 — S Dillon 8, L Wilkie 8, D Dods 8, C Kalvenes 8 — N Hunt 7, W Flood 8 (sub: E McLean, 90), P Buaben 8, M Gomis 8 (sub: M Kerr, 83), B Robson 7 — J Robertson 8 (sub: S Robb, 83). Substitutes not used: J Daly, G Cameron, G Kenneth, S Duff. Booked: Wilkie, Robertson, Szamotulski. Sent off: Szamotulski.

Taken from timesonline.co.uk