Hearts 1 - 0 Dundee United

There has been a notable change in the atmosphere around Gorgie of late. The dark clouds that have enveloped Hearts are beginning to lift and shafts of sunlight are spearing through the gloom. How appropriate, then, that Laryea Kingston's winning goal on Saturday was greeted by a parting of the grey skies.

A sense of joie de vivre was the dominant emotion as Stevie Frail's side manoeuvred themselves into position for a late stab at the top six. A win at Kilmarnock next Saturday, coupled with the failure of Falkirk to win at Aberdeen two days later, will almost certainly ensure a place in the upper half and vindicate the decision to afford the affable caretaker head coach autonomy.

Vladimir Romanov was in attendance and, given that his last visit in November was greeted with a 4-1 rout of Aberdeen, the owner probably deceives himself into thinking that everything is well with his plaything. Yet despite the accountancy spin, a £10m rise in debt to £37m is a terrifying albatross around the club's neck.
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The Lithuanian, though, has surely been briefed on Frail's fine work. Since the 4-1 hiding from Dundee United in January, the coach has overseen a run punctuated only by league defeats to Rangers and Celtic. It is a sequence only bettered by the Glasgow clubs and, by a point, Hibernian and can be attributed to seven clean sheets in 10 matches. Christophe Berra has been central to that resistance and was outstanding against the threat of Mark de Vries.

"In previous months, when things were not so good, you'd concede a silly goal, the fans would get on your back and your confidence dropped," said Berra. "But since Shaggy took over, everyone wants to do well for themselves, for the team and for each other."

This was a performance characterised by resolve but Kingston's goal was a brief flash of style. Eggert Jonsson's pass located the Ghanaian in the inside right channel, and his drilled finish was conclusive.

United rarely looked like equalising. Craig Levein's side have yet to win a league game after going behind but, had Noel Hunt converted an early chance, a continuation of their splendid recent record against Hearts might have been extended.

Instead, the Tannadice side merely went home with two red cards. Garry Kenneth was booked twice, while substitute Danny Swanson was perhaps unfortunate to be shown a straight red card for a slightly high challenge.

Taken from the Herald