Heart of Midlothian 2-1 Dundee United

Hearts came from a goal behind to defeat Dundee United in a pulsating Clydesdale Bank Premierleague encounter at Tynecastle this afternoon. The visitors took an early lead through a Barry Douglas header, but Rudi Skacel had the home side level just before the interval, before Marius Zaliukas powered a headed winner with three minutes remaining. Even then it took another penalty save by the redoubtable Marian Kello to prevent United from taking the point their enterprising display might just have deserved.

The recent record of four draws in the last five between these sides meant we arrived at Tynecastle anticipating something rather less than a feast of goals. And with the visitors shorn of the powerful presence of club captain John Daly and the creative drive of Craig Conway in midfield, we might have expected the home side to come quickly out of the traps at the start of the game.

As it turned out, though, it was the visitors who started the game looking the likelier of the two sides. Within a minute and a half they had won their first corner of the game, and thirty seconds later they had the ball in Marian Kello's net, but referee Calum Murray quickly ruled out David Goodwillie's bundled header from close range.

Peter Houston's men didn't have too much longer to wait, though, just two more minutes to be precise when a speculative cross from the right was guided deftly over the diving Kello by the head of Barry Douglas, in an effort strongly reminiscent of Stephen Elliot's opener at New Douglas Park the previous week.

Hearts responded with a great run from Suso Santana, who latched onto Kello's quick throw, made swift progress down the left hand side before driving a low effort against the legs of the watchful Pernis. The Spaniard continued to be Hearts main - perhaps only - outlet as the half progressed. More great work from the little winger saw him outfox two opponents in front of the home dugout before releasing Jonsson down the right touchline. The full-back's cross was controlled on the turn by Elliott, who then flashed a powerful effort narrowly wide.

Hearts' other main tactic appeared to be to find the head of David Obua, but the Ugandan invariably found himself too far detached from his colleagues to enable him to create any danger with any of his numerous flicks.

While Hearts laboured up front, United's bustling midfield generated enough possession to allow them to discomfit the home defence. However, despite the willing darts of Prince Buaben and Goodwillie, the only real threat came when Gary Kenneth rose above Jonsson at the back post, only to head just wide of Kello's right hand post.

Pressed into service to help his central midfield colleagues hold their own, Rudi Skacel's influence on the game had been peripheral in the first half-hour, but he burst into life in the 31st minute when he capitalised on a slip by Kenneth to bear down on Pernis. Sadly, his attempt to round Sean Dillon was telegraphed, and the United defender was able to block the shot with ease.

Pre-match doubt Lee Wallace last only 34 minutes before he was forced to retire to be replaced by Craig Thomson, a switch that saw Ruben Palazuelos drop into the left back position and Jonsson replace the Spaniard in the midfield engine room. Wallace was quickly followed by United skipper Kenneth, who took a dull one from Suso and was unable to recover before being replaced by Timothy Van Der Meulen with a couple of minutes of the half remaining.

Hearts sensed an opportunity, and this time they were able to profit. Elliott was the man bursting clear this time, ignoring the supporting Ian Black before drilling a low shot goalward. Pernis should have done better than just scoop the ball to his right and as the men in tangerine watched, Skacel slid in to turn the ball into the unguarded goal. Buoyed by his ninth goal of the campaign, the Czech international almost made it ten for the season before the half-time, a stinging shot from 30 yards this time flying just wide of Pernis's right-hand post.

David Templeton appeared for the ineffective Obua at the interval but as in the first period it was the visitors who resumed looking much the brighter of the two teams. Prince Buaben sprang the offside track four minutes in but shot into the side netting instead of passing to the better placed Goodwillie in the centre. Van der Meulen then crashed a long range effort shot over the bar, before Andy Webster did well to thwart Goodwillie just as the United striker was about to pull the trigger in front of goal.

United were in control of the match, with the home side restricted to high punts towards Elliott or the more promising thrusts from Templeton on the left. However, on the few occasions the youngster did manage to escape his markers, his final delivery let him down.

Ian Black became the first player to be booked for one foul too many in midfield and he was quickly followed by the visitors' Keith Watson who felled the flying Templeton right on the edge of the Arabs' penalty area. Craig Thomson fired the resultant free-kick against the chest of Scott Robertson.

Andrew Driver was introduced for the tiring Suso with fifteen minutes remaining, and he was quickly into the fray, taking three bites at a tempting back post cherry, only to see all three efforts blocked by some valiant defending inside the United six-yard box.

No sign of this one petering out and Hearts were rewarded for their persistence with three minutes remaining. Thomson teased yet another corner in from the right, and this time found Marius Zaliukas rising imperiously eight yards from goal to power a header beyond the helpless Pernis.

United probably felt they deserved more from the encounter, but when the chance to equalise presented itself through a final minute penalty they were found wanting. David Robertson was impeded by Palazuelos as he was about to latch onto a diagonal ball into the box, but as the Spaniard trooped off after being dismissed by Mr Murray, Goodwillie pushed an unconvincing spot kick straight at Kello. It was the Slovakian's third penalty save in front of the Roseburn Stand, and arguably his most important to date.

Hearts: Kello; Jonsson, Webster, Zaliukas, Wallace (C Thomson 34); Palazuelos, Black; Suso (Driver 73), Skacel, Obua (Templeton 46); Elliott. Booked: Black, Jonsson. Sent off: Palazuelos. Subs not used: Balogh, Bouzid, Stevenson, Glen.

Dundee Utd: Pernis; Watson, Dillon, Kenneth (Van Der Meulen 43), Dixon; Russell (Swanson 79), S Robertson (Shala 89), D Robertson, Buaben, Douglas; Goodwillie. Booked: Watson. Subs not used: Banks, Gomis, Dow, Armstrong.

Referee: Calum Murray

Top man: Zaliukas

Hearts World