Jambos put on the spot but Kello saves the day

By DAVID COATES

Hearts fans were left singing the praises of goalkeeper Marian Kello as his penalty save deep into injury time ensured they closed the gap to Rangers to just two points at the top of the SPL.

The Jambos looked to have sealed all three points after a bullet header from defender Marius Zaliukas two minutes from time. But while the Hearts supporters were still celebrating they were caught out at the back.

Dundee United midfielder David Robertson was brought down in the penalty area by Ruben Palazuelos. The referee Callum Murray had no option but to send the Spanish defender off for denying a goal scoring chance.

David Goodwillie stepped up but saw his penalty saved by Kello. It was the third penalty awarded against Hearts this season and incredibly the third to be saved by the Slovakian International keeper.

Hearts boss Jim Jeffries afterwards said: "Marian's which he's done a couple of time before pulled off a great save. I think it came back to Goodwillie at an awkward height.

"But that's what happens when you are going well. All the work we've put in, sometimes down the line you earn a break and we got it today."

The result puts Hearts a massive 18 points clear of Kilmarnock in third spot and with the Old Firm facing each other later on today they will hope to continue to push them all the way to the end of the season.

But the Hearts boss just wants to secure third spot before thinking of finishing higher. He said: "We've never gone shouting about it and I still won't. I want to get this third place tied up as quickly as possible and if there are five or six games to go and we have a wee chance, we can relax and have a go."

Despite the victory it was Dundee United who got off to the best start with the home fans becoming increasingly restless and frustrated throughout the first half.

David Goodwillie had a goal disallowed for handball by the eagle eyed officials inside the opening minutes of the match. And if that served up to be a warning to the Hearts defence they didn't take notice minutes later.

A whipped cross from Goodwillie found former Queens Park striker Barry Douglas who flicked his head to the cross. The ball flew past Kello to give United the lead.

The Arabs were pressing the Hearts midfield all over the pitch and were making it hard for the Jambos to get their passing game going with too many passes going astray.

On the half hour United could have doubled their lead. A cross from Douglas found Gary Kenneth in the middle but his header from close range went sailing just wide of the left hand upright.

Minutes later he almost cost United a goal as he was caught in possession deep in his own half. The ball fell to Rudi Skacel but his deflected shot was well saved by Dusan Pernis in the United goal.

Just before the break the Arabs were dealt a huge blow as Gary Kenneth limped off with a knee injury leaving Dundee United with no fit centre halves. Ajax youth academy graduate Timothy Van Der Meulen came on to partner Sean Dillon in a makeshift defence.

In stoppage time at the end of the first half Hearts were level out of nothing. A shot across goal from Stephen Elliott was spilled by Pernis. It fell to Skacel who had the easiest of tap ins to put Hearts level.

Like the first half United started the second the better. Midfielder Prince Buaben drove in behind the Hearts defence but his shot could only find the side netting when he really should have done better.

The Jambos brought on David Templeton and Andrew Driver as they looked to exploit United's patched up defence. And it was the latter that could off put them in front. Two shots in quick succession were blocked while the third was sliced horribly wide.

On 88 minutes Hearts grabbed the winner to keep their unbeaten run at home in the league which now stretches to eight games.

A great corner from substitute Craig Thomson found the head of Marius Zaliukas who bulleted a header past the helpless Pernis for his first goal of the season to send the Hearts fans into raptures.

The late drama wasn't over as deep into injury time United were awarded a penalty after a foul from Palazuelos on David Robertson. While the Spaniard saw red United top goalscorer David Goodwillie saw his penalty well saved by Kello to keep up Hearts good run.

Meanwhile Dundee United boss Peter Houston was left ruing his sides poor defending. He said: "We played some excellent football, passed the ball around about them, created some decent chances, but you have to defend properly and we didn't do that.

"It's a poor penalty from David Goodwillie. He should be scoring but he's brave enough to take it."

Star man: Marius Zaliukas

http://www.theawayend.net/