Dundee United 4 - 1 Hearts

Five goals, three red cards and five bookings only tells some of the tale of a match that should never have happened.

The Dundee United players did not want this tumultuous encounter to go ahead, with the memories of being on the pitch at Fir Park last Saturday when Phil O'Donnell collapsed still raw in their minds. In spite of their grief, though, the home side delivered their best performance in weeks to condemn Hearts to a sixth straight defeat.

The Tynecastle side finished the match with just eight men through a combination of recklessness and sheer folly. Marius Zaliukas, Lee Wallace and Michael Stewart all lost their discipline during a fraught final 20 minutes.
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Yet to paint United as mere grateful beneficiaries would be grossly unfair. Perhaps fuelled by the ire voiced by Lee Wilkie yesterday morning about being forced to play, Craig Levein's side recorded only a second win in seven to right themselves and maintain a grip of fourth place in the division.

How Hearts must jealously cast their eyes upwards. Defeat leaves them in 10th position and wondering where to nest. It was thought giving Stevie Frail autonomy for team selection while the search for a British manager begins would halt the plummet. Apparently not.

The first hint was when Frail avoided any display of independence in his team selection, opting for just two changes to the side which lost at Falkirk. Intriguingly, Andrius Velicka and Saulius Mikoliunas, two Lithuanians, were recalled, the latter starting brightly against Danny Grainger.

United's combative debutant was perhaps fortunate not to concede an early penalty. The left-back, signed from Gretna, appeared to chop down Calum Elliot as he ran on to an errant Mark Kerr pass, but a culmination of referee Alan Freeland and an offside flag thwarted the claims. There was no dubiety about the decision that yielded the opener, however.

The edgy Zaliukas and Robbie Neilson dithered under a high ball before the Scot hooked a looping pass towards Steve Banks. The goalkeeper, left with little option, caught it, affording United a free-kick, six yards from goal. Wilkie rolled the ball back to Barry Robson and the captain scudded the effort through the nine Hearts players on the line and high into the net after 22 minutes.

United have yet to lose a game they have led this season, but Hearts, imbued with a rare spirit, hauled themselves back to parity within 14 minutes.

A devilish Stewart corner was flicked to the back post by Zaliukas and while Grainger hesitated, Christophe Berra slid in to force the ball into the net.

Hearts, though, continually threatened to undo their good work with an inability to deal with high deliveries into their area. Communication seemed to be the root of the issue, the ball too often allowed to bounce between reticent defenders.

Robson's deliveries were also causing problems. The midfielder came close twice himself and created two heading opportunities for Noel Hunt as United ramped up the pressure.

And Hearts were feeling it. The wound-up Stewart, who exchanged cross words with Neilson in the first half, engaged in a furious argument with Berra after one of Hunt's chances, and the pair had to be separated by Zaliukas, one of his few successful interventions.

Yet peacemaker turned protagonist with just over 20 minutes left. The defender got involved with Wilkie after a clearance and the Lithuanian raised an arm. A red card and a throw in to Hearts ensued. The game, though, was still paused as Freeland belatedly consulted with assistant Craig Young and to general bemusement decided the incident also merited a penalty to United. Robson did the necessary.

Hearts, down to 10 men, wilted. Another Robson free-kick - with an increasingly irate Stewart the culprit - was glanced past Banks by Hunt to make it three with seven minutes left before the captain completed his hat trick.

Rampaging towards goal, Robson was hauled down by Wallace as he entered the area. Another red card, another penalty converted and another defeat for Hearts confirmed.

But the misery was not over. Stewart, just back from a ban, received his second booking in stoppage time for arguing with one of his own fans. The torrent of abuse he sustained in turn from Berra and Banks, as he left the field, told its own story.

Dundee Utd Szamotulski, Dillon, Wilkie (Kenneth 90), Dods, Grainger, Flood (Odhiambo 89), Kerr, Gomis, Robson, David Robertson (Swanson 60), Hunt.

Subs: McLean, Conway, Buaben, Jordan Robertson. Booked Robson, Gomis
Hearts Banks, Neilson, Zaliukas, Berra, Wallace, Mikoliunas (Pospisil 81), Stewart, Palazuelos, Driver (Cesnauskis 34), Velicka, Elliot (Nade 63). Subs: Basso, Goncalves, Jonsson, McGowan.

Sent Off Zaliukas (70), Wallace (87), Stewart (90). Booked Velicka, Stewart, Pospisil
Referee A Freeland

Taken from the Herald