GLAD-IMIR

Scorers: HEARTS: Kingston

By Colin Brown

Kingston_cele

HEARTS owner Vladimir Romanov is undoubtedly his side’s lucky mascot.

The Lithuanian has been absent from Tynecastle since November when he watched Hearts beat Aberdeen 4-1.

But he returned to see his team record their first victory of the season over nine-man Dundee United.

Caretaker boss Steven Frail was delighted Romanov had seen a victorious performance from Hearts.

He said: "He’s seen the commitment of the players today and had a brief chat with them yesterday.

"Hopefully he will see a team at the top end of the table soon and it’s good he goes back to Lithuania happy.

"We didn’t discuss my future but we speak regularly anyway."

The win also gives Hearts hopes of a top-six finish a boost.

Frail said: "If we beat Kilmarnock and the other results go for us we still have a chance of making the top six.

"But we’ve got more points than either Dundee United or Hibs in the last quarter and seven clean sheets in our last 10 games so that’s progress. I was delighted with the performances — we created a few chances and looked solid.

"We’ve struggled against United this season so it’s a good win."

Laryea Kingston’s goal left United with an uphill struggle to make Europe ahead of Motherwell and boss Craig Levein was less than happy with his side.

Predictable

He said: "I thought the defence and midfield played well but we were poor in the last third of the pitch.

"I was frustrated in the forward areas as we didn’t pass the ball well and were too predictable.

"Noel Hunt missed a tap-in and if he’d scored then I think we would have gone on to win the game.

"I can’t argue with Garry Kenneth’s sending-off and we’re fortunate that Darren Dods can come in, which means that Kenneth may not play again due to his own stupidity.

"However, Swanson’s sending-off was harsh as Christian Nade had a similar tackle on Kenneth in the first half and wasn’t punished. That wasn’t consistent from the referee.

"I’d rather be in Motherwell’s position as they have the same number of points with two games in hand and we have six hard games left."

Former Hearts striker Mark De Vries, who recently arrived back in Scotland at United, was upset.

He said: "They got a goal and shut up shop, and despite our possession we couldn’t score.

"Any kind of result today would have kept us in the hunt for Europe but now we must pick ourselves up and go again.

"It was difficult for us with 10 men but impossible with nine."

Under the watchful eye of club owner Vladimir Romanov, Hearts took the game to United. Zaliukas climbed well to meet Kingston’s corner but his header was off-target.

Kingston_action

Kingston, above, was catching the eye on the right and he had Zaluska scrambling as his cross bounced off the top of the crossbar.

However, the visitors let Hearts off the hook with a glaring miss after 20 minutes. Willo Flood fired in a cross from the left that De Vries missed.

The ball fell to Noel Hunt eight yards out and his fresh-air swipe got Hearts out of jail.

How United paid as Hearts grabbed the lead just before the half-hour.

Eggert Jonsson won the ball in midfield and had the presence of mind to quickly slide the ball through to Kingston. He slipped away from Kenneth and fired past Zaluska from 15 yards.

Perhaps the keeper left too big a gap at his near post but it was a cool finish nonetheless.

Hearts were dominating possession and could have profited from another dangerous low cross from Kingston that found no takers.

It took a fine save from Zaluska to deny Mikolianus as the Lithuanian met Ruben Palazuelos’s cross.

The header was at a good height for the keeper but he threw himself to his right to save.

And Zaluska was back in action early in the second period to beat away Nade’s effort from a tight angle after referee Eddie Smith allowed a good advantage following Kenneth’s poor challenge on Kingston that earned the stopper a yellow card.

Christophe Berra showed why George Burley has called him into the Scotland squad with a great challenge to deny De Vries as he ran on to Kenneth’s long ball from what looked an offside position.

Hearts should have had the points safe on the hour when Zaluska pushed Kingston’s cross out into the path of Mikoliunas who somehow fired over from 10 yards with the goal at his mercy.

But it all finished on a sour note for United as they were reduced to nine men in the closing stages.

Kenneth saw red for a second booking after a trip on Nade. Sub Danny Swanson got a straight red for a shocking foul on Jonsson.

Only a great late stop from Zaluska kept the score down as he saved Nade’s low shot with his legs.

HEARTS: Basso 6, Neilson 7, Berra 7, Zaliukas 6, Goncalvas 6, Mikoliunas 6, (Wallace 77min, 4) Stewart 6, Palazuelos 7, Jonsson 7, Kingston 8, (Ivaskevicius 67, 4) Nade 6. Subs not used: Ridgers, Tall, Elliot, Ksanavicius, Glen.

DUNDEE UNITED: Zaluska 6, Kovacevic 5, (Daly 80min, 3) Wilkie 7, Kenneth 5, Kalvenes 6, Conway 5, (Swanson 63, 3) Kerr 8, Gomis 6, Flood 6, de Vries 5, Hunt 5, (O’Brien 69, 5).