Dundee Utd 2 - 0 Hearts

The Jambos made four changes to the side that was defeated at home to Kilmarnock a week and a half ago, Rudi Skacel dropped to the bench while Eggert Jonsson missed out through suspension and Callum Elliot and Suso through injury. Returning from injuries to replace them in the team were Lee Wallace, Andrew Webster and Stephen Elliott, with Ian Black slotting in after serving his two game ban.

Hearts started the match positively. Camped deep inside the United half they worked towards the home goal and after two minutes Black had the first shot on target, stinging Dusan Pernis' hands from 25 yards.

United immediately fought back, and on five minutes a David Goodwillie header from a Johnny Russell cross looped over Marian Kello's crossbar and landed on the roof of the net.

Three minutes later and a corner for the home side caused some confusion in the Hearts penalty area, a Marius Zaliukas header had to be smartly stopped by the outstretched Kello.

On the quarter hour mark Craig Thomson showed some good footwork down the right flank and the ball fell to Ryan Stevenson, who found himself at the edge of the United box, his low shot lacked conviction and Pernis was able to dive to his left to make the save.

Kello was back in action again after half an hour of play and showed why he was named February's Clydesdale Bank Premier League Player of the Month. The impressive Goodwillie muscled past the Hearts defence and rifled a shot at goal which the Slovak cap did extremely well to fingertip over the bar.

In a match that was starting to rock back and forth it was the Jam Tarts' turn to terrorise the United goal. On thirty five minutes some excellent twisting and turning into the box by David Templeton saw the ball land at the feet of Elliott, whose shot flew past Pernis' right hand side post.

As the second half got underway the playing conditions worsened as a thick mist continued to descend upon the pitch, hindering visibility for the players.

It took twenty minutes for the first real moment of action to occur. Templeton showed great skill to dance past three United players on the left and then pressed into the box. However, he fell under the challenge of Keith Watson and referee Iain Brines waved play on.

With fifteen minutes left on the clock United launched their own assault. Goodwillie broke free down Thomson's flank and made it into the box where he drilled a low shot at goal, which Kello quickly got down to and pushed out for a corner.

As Hearts looked to try and break the deadlock, JJ shook up his tactics, introducing Andrew Driver and Gary Glen to the field of play in the place of Ismael Bouzid and Elliott.

Unfortunately it was the home side who grabbed the opener. On eighty three minutes Wallace fouled the bounding Russell, the resulting Danny Swanson free kick found Russell free in the box, his looping header sailed over the helpless Kello and into the net.

Hearts tried to grab an equaliser. A minute later a Thomson cross made its way over to Templeton at the back of the United penalty area, his half volley was powerful yet lacked direction as it flew over the bar.

United made sure of all three points deep into injury time. Full back Paul Dixon hit a long cross deep into the Jambos' penalty area and it was met by Russell, who scored his second goal of the game.

That was virtually the last kick of the ball, and despite Hearts looking dangerous in spells, it was the home side who emerged victorious and kept up their recent good form. Hearts must continue to wait to secure third place in the league.

Dundee Utd: Pernis, Dillon, Dixon, S.Robertson, Daly, D.Robertson, Gomis, Douglas (Swanson 68), Watson, Goodwillie, Russell. Subs not used: Banks, Kovacevic, Shala, Van der Meulen, Allan, Armstrong.

Hearts: Kello; Bouzid (Driver 56), Webster, Zaliukas, Wallace; Black (Obua 86), Mrowiec, C.Thomson, Templeton, Stevenson; Elliott (Glen 74). Subs not used: MacDonald, J.Thomson, Skacel, Robinson.

Referee: Iain Brines

Top man: Andrew Webster

Hearts World