Hearts 0 - 0 Dundee Utd: United's hopes of title pursuit suffer setback as Hearts are let off the hook

Published Date: 14 December 2009
By Alan Pattullo
AS THE scoreline suggests, this was not a great match. But, when seen in terms of Dundee United's title challenge, it could prove a significant one.
It has been a while since supporters of the Tannadice club have found it necessary to reflect on such things. Though it might require a bit of digging around in the memory bank, even they will recall that games such as these need to be won if championships are to be claimed.

Craig Levein was sanguine enough afterwards, and pointed out that his side were beaten heavily here last season. But he also noted that Nicky Weaver, his goalkeeper, did not have to make a single save.

Levein added that he could not remember being involved in a game at Tynecastle where this had been the case before. Home goalkeeper Marian Kello, on the other hand, had to be much more industrious, to the extent that he earned his side a point courtesy of a fine save from Danny Cadamarteri's penalty kick.

United fans will be heartened by the extent of Levein's ambition. This was revealed as he expressed his disappointment that his side had failed to earn themselves the chance of moving to within a point of the summit, something which would have been achieved had a victory on Saturday been followed by another win tomorrow night against Rangers.

It was refreshing to hear such candour, and the week ahead is still alive with possibilities for United. A trip to face in-form Hamilton follows the Tannadice clash with Rangers, and a six-point haul from these matches would repair whatever damage has been inflicted on their title hopes by failure to gain the victory they probably deserved at Tynecastle.

"I was looking to get three points today," said Levein later. "If we had won today we'd have been on the coat-tails of Rangers. I was hoping we would be in a position to go past Rangers on Tuesday night. What we have to do now is hang in there."

Levein sent out an attacking side, but his positive tactics only began to be realised with the introduction of Cadamerteri early in the second-half. He gave the Hearts defence a torrid time, and earned his side a penalty following a tangle with Eggert Jonsson in the box.

Euan Norris did not hesitate when pointing to the spot, cue the now familiar din of outrage at Tynecastle. But this response turned to one of relief when Cadamerteri hit his penalty too near to Kello. Hearts held on, despite being reduced to ten men in the latter stages.

For once, this had not been demanded by the referee. Rather, the position of public enemy No 1 was filled by Laryea Kingston. Castigated by his own supporters, it was left to Levein to extend a hand of humanity as the Ghana internationalist made a premature exit due to injury.

The last time United visited Gorgie, they were thumped 3-0. Much has changed since then for Hearts, at least in terms of their on-field fortunes.

Off the pitch the club's affairs remain as complicated as ever, with Vladimir Romanov having elected to miss this match in order to watch a basketball game back in Lithuania. The message this sent out to the faithful did not need to be de-coded, and dissent was in the air in Gorgie.

Indeed, the afternoon could represent the tipping point in the Hearts fans' relationship with Kingston, the controversial midfielder whose thoughts appear to be some distance removed from Tynecastle Park.

Difficult though it is to judge the extent of a hamstring injury, his trudge round the pitch did not transmit the right vibes.

His departure meant Hearts, who had used all three substitutes, had to close out the remaining ten minutes with ten men.

It was a credit to their fighting qualities that they did, and Kingston apart, the point won by Hearts here represented a triumph of spirit.

As for Kingston, there might be no way back. Laszlo has already spoken of the need for him to win back the affection of the supporters in the weeks before he leaves to fulfil commitments with Ghana in the Africa Cup of Nations. Even before his departure, he had failed by some margin to do that courtesy of a feckless performance on the right flank.

His manager remains supportive in public, and used Michael Stewart's rehabilitation as evidence that Kingston can again hear the acclaim of the Hearts supporters.

On Saturday, there were only jeers to accompany his long and lonely walk around the perimeter of the pitch. This was about as far from a lap of honour as it is possible to get.

"I like to protect my players, and if someone is injured – and he told me he is injured – he must come off," said Laszlo.

"Ok, the last ten minutes we played with ten men. But that showed we are a team.

"Michael Stewart was booed," he added. "But his reaction was: 'I will show you that I am part of this family'. He went to Celtic Park and shot the team to the last four of the cup. And what happened? The fans applauded him. That is the answer."

Stewart's recovery continued on Saturday, when he was one of Hearts' better performers. But whether Kingston even gets the chance to begin patching up his relationship with the Tynecastle fans remains to be seen.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Andy Webster (Dundee Utd)

The centre-back, on loan from Rangers, strolled through the match. He will have more testing games, but dealt with what was required of him in an unhurried and efficient manner. As Levein later said, Rangers will get a markedly improved player when he returns to Ibrox at the end of the season.

Taken from the Scotsman