One Nil to the Jam Tarts

Comparisons to boring Arsenal teams aside, the Jambos were very impressive in easily defeating a high flying Dundee United side. One goal may have been all they got but they deserved so much more from a display that saw them create a number of chances while Anthony Basso stood bored in the Hearts goal. It was the polished performance that will surely regenerate some hope in the hearts of their supports.

Hearts made four changes to the side that started last week's stalemate with Falkirk, adopting a 4-5-1 formation in the process. Christian Nade returned from injury and he replaced Calum Elliot who dropped to the bench. Injuries to Steve Banks and Deividas Cesnauskis meant starts for Anthony Basso and Eggert Jonsson while Jose Goncalves was preferred to Lee Wallace at left back. Craig Levein stuck with the same eleven that started and defeated Motherwell last weekend.

Despite what appeared to be a cautionary approach from the home side, the match began in a very open manner with both teams managing to get some time and space with the football. Hearts were the first to threaten when Marius Zaliukas rose at the back post to meet a deep Michael Stewart corner but, under pressure, he could only direct the ball past the post.

Larry feels the force of Kalvenes

United eased their way into the match as they started to press Hearts further up the park. On 18 minutes Noel Hunt was left scratching his head as to how he failed to give his side the lead when the ball fell kindly for him to strike from eight yards. Somehow, he completely fluffed his shot before eventually bringing the ball under control and firing his second effort into the side netting.

Mark De Vries was back playing at Tynecastle for the first time since he departed in January 2005 to join Leicester City and the big striker nearly made it a scoring return on 25 minutes. Lee Wilkie managed to flick the ball on from a throw-in on the right, the ball fell right on the head of De Vries who only managed to glance his header wide of the post.

From the early stages it was clear that Hearts impotence in attack was likely to come through Laryea Kingston, which is exactly what happened on 28 minutes when the Ghanaian gave Hearts the lead. Jonsson was the provider as he slipped in Kingston who sprinted through a huge gap in the United defence before coolly slotting the ball past Zaluska at his front post.

Saulius Mikoliunas improved on his recent form with an impressive first half display and he had two chances to double the lead on 40 minutes. First the winger was guilty of being a little too casual as he tried to flick a low Kingston cross towards goal. As Hearts re-gathered through Palazuelos, Mikoliunas stayed in the centre and was able to drift off his marker to meet the Spaniard's cross. He powered his header back across goal but Zaluska was alert and produced a fine save to pluck the ball out of the air with both hands.

Eggert Jonsson battles with Noel White

United began the second half with a determination to get themselves back into the match but it was the home side who produced two great chances to extend their advantage. First Nade saw his shot parried away by Zaluska after he had easily turned inside his marker from ten yards, the rebound fell for an advancing Palazuelos to let fly from 20 yards but he failed to judge the bounce and sliced his shot well wide.

Then five minutes later Mikoliunas blew a golden opportunity. Kingston managed to rob Gary Kenneth on the left before darting into the penalty area and cutting the ball back towards the sea of expectant maroon jerseys. Zaluska managed to tip the ball away but only as far as Mikoliunas who somehow blazed his shot over with the goal gaping.

The game started to become scrappy with few chances being carved out. The home supporters were beginning to get a little anxious so Robbie Neilson took it upon himself to inject some comic relief as he almost scored from the by-line. With ten minutes remaining on the clock, the full back's cross-come-shot cannoned back off the keeper's near post.

If United's day wasn't bad enough they then suffered the misfortune of having two players sent off in as many minutes. First Gary Kenneth was shown a second yellow card for a late tackle on Nade, then Danny Swanson was shown a straight red card for a very reckless tackle on Eggert Jonsson that was lucky not to have caused serious damage to the youngster.

Ruben Palazuelos and Willo Flood

Hearts managed to squander two more chances to kill the game in its' dying moments. Ruben Palazuelos was far too selfish when he failed to lay the ball off to Lee Wallace when he found himself in a three on two situation then Nade saw another effort of his stopped by Zaluska after he again managed to twist and turn his way into some space inside the penalty area.

Failing to convert so many chances in one match usually comes back to haunt football teams but today was not one of those days. The last half an hour passed without incident in the Hearts penalty as the home side strolled to a surprisingly comfortable victory.

Hearts: Basso; Neilson, Zaliukas, Berra, Goncalves; Kingston (Ivaskevicius 69), Stewart, Jonsson, Palazuelos, Mikoliunas (Wallace 79(; Nade. Subs not used: Ridgers; Tall, Elliot, Ksanavicius, Glen. Booked: Neilson, Ivaskevicius

Dundee United: Zaluska; Kovacevic (Daly 80), Wilkie, Kenneth, Kalvenes; Flood, Kerr, Gomis, Conway (Swanson 63); De Vries, Hunt (O'Brien 70). Subs not used: McLean, Dillon, Grainger, Robertson. Booked: Kenneth, Swanson. Sent Off: Kenneth, Swanson

Referee: Eddie Smith

Top man: Saulius Mikoliunas

Hearts World