Dundee United 0-1 Hearts

Keeper Janos Balogh saved Franciso Sandaza's second-half penalty to seal victory after Eggert Jonsson brought down the Spaniard in the area.

Stewart had put Hearts ahead on 62 minutes when he powered a right-foot shot home from 20 yards.

United pressed for a goal but Sandaza's miss let their rivals off the hook.

Hearts left-back Lee Wallace and United midfielder Paul Caddis were booked for crudely halting promising breaks in the opening stages.

The visitors enjoyed some good early possession but had keeper Balogh to thank for a double save on 13 minutes.

Caddis found Sandaza inside the box with a reverse pass, but Balogh blocked his effort and held Caddis's follow-up at the second attempt.

Hearts survived another scare after 20 minutes when they were caught out by Danny Grainger's quickly-taken free-kick.

The full-back's low cross found Sandaza at the near post and he helped it on for Darren Dods, whose close-range shot was blocked by Robbie Neilson.

James Wesolowski shot well over from 20 yards as the home side continued to push forward.

United failed to build on their pressure, though, and Caddis weakly shot a 25-yard free-kick into the wall.
Dundee United's Franciso Sandaza misses from the spot
Janos Balogh saved a penalty from Francisco Sandaza

Hearts were missing as an attacking force, but they comfortably survived during a scrappy ending to the half, which saw Warren Feeney booked by referee Eddie Smith for a late challenge on Balogh.

United strikers Feeney and Sandaza even looked unconvincing during some half-time target practice and, after the restart, the Northern Irishman volleyed high and wide after the ball broke for him 15 yards out.

Adrian Mrowiec failed with a hopeful penalty appeal as he tried to run between two defenders, but United's sloppy passing was allowing Hearts more possession in dangerous areas.

Stewart scored with the visitors' first shot on target to give them a 62nd-minute lead.

Andrew Driver's persistence inside the box saw the ball fall into Stewart's path 20 yards out and he shot powerfully into the bottom corner after his initial effort had been blocked.

The Tannadice side brought on winger Craig Conway for Wesolowski as they sought much-needed inspiration.

United pushed Hearts back, but Sandaza's shot trundled wide after he had turned Jonsson just outside the box.

The Spaniard came closer when he turned Wallace inside the box and fired inches wide of the far post.

Sandaza soon won a controversial 80th-minute penalty from referee Smith when he fell over Jonsson's leg as the Hearts man appeared to take the ball with a sliding tackle.

As Hearts unsuccessfully appealed for Smith to allow treatment to the prostrate Mrowiec, the United striker saw his weak penalty saved by Balogh.

The game threatened to spiral out of control as United played on with Polish forward Mrowiec still lying in the middle of his own half.

But Hearts saw out the remainder of the game - including five minutes of injury time - with Balogh making a comfortable save from Dods after substitute Jon Daly had laid off Caddis' clever pass.

Dundee United manager Craig Levein:

"I've no complaints about the the way we played today and the effort we put in. Sometimes in football you can do 99 per cent of things right and still lose the match and that was the case today.

"I think if we had scored with the penalty we would have been favourites to go on and win the match. Lukasz Zaluska never made a save today. Incredible. I thought our defending was excellent and that Lee Wilkie was fantastic.

"Possibly it's the midfield area that we lost the goal from. James Wesolowski getting a bit tired might have had something to do with that.

"We deserved to win the match never mind get a point, but these things happen in football."

Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo:

"I think this was a very heavy game we played here against Dundee. We lost the last game here 3-0 and our intention was to stay very compact and score if possible.

"We also had the problem of Christian Nade and Laryea Kingston missing from the team and it was not easy to find the right solution, especially in attack.

"It was a very nice shot from Michael Stewart for the goal. I think altogether this was a big success from my team. At the moment I don't look at the points and the table. I am sure with this spirit and football we play we can reach the top six. After that we will see what happens.

"I also think Janos Balogh in goal had his best game and I must compliment him on his saves."

Dundee Utd: Zaluska, Kovacevic, Wilkie, Dods, Grainger (Dixon 71), Caddis, Buaben, Gomis, Wesolowski (Conway 65), Feeney (Daly 77), Sandaza.
Subs Not Used: McGovern, Dillon, David Robertson, Shala.

Booked: Caddis, Feeney, Kovacevic, Conway.

Hearts: Balogh, Neilson, Jonsson, Karipidis, Lee Wallace, Obua, Palazuelos, Stewart, Driver, Aguiar, Mrowiec (Cesnauskis 83).
Subs Not Used: Kello, Mikoliunas, Thomson, Elliot, McGowan, Husband.

Booked: Lee Wallace, Neilson.

Goals: Stewart 62.

Att: 8,529

Ref: E Smith.

BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Hearts' Janos Balogh

Taken from the BBC