Jon Daly goal suggests Tannadice men can live without David Goodwillie

Dundee United sent out a defiant message that there is life after striker David Goodwillie with this tremendous win at Tynecastle.

Hearts v Dundee United

By Ian Roache

A headed goal from Jon Daly seven minutes before half-time warned the rest of the SPL that they will be able to cope just fine without Blackburn-bound Goodwillie.

Houston, who decided on Friday not to play his frontman, said, "I always knew we were going to get a tough game here at Tynecastle, and it was a tough game. In the first half there were spells when we had to survive some good pressure from Hearts.

"When you look at it, we had good chances — possibly a penalty, we hit the bar, Jon Daly brought a world-class save from their keeper and we scored a goal. When you come to Tynecastle, sometimes in 90 minutes you don't create as many chances.

"It was a hard-fought three points, but I thought they were fully merited."

The hosts had played in the Europa League on Thursday but boss Jim Jefferies refused to use that as a mitigating factor.

"Later in the game we looked a bit heavy legged but that's no excuse," he said. "We weren't that bad, it's just the result didn't go in our favour."

As well as Goodwillie, the Tangerines were without Danny Swanson, who took ill overnight, while fit-again Scott Robertson had to make do with a place on the bench. Scott Allan made his first start as Johnny Russell and Daly were given the task of breaking down a Hearts defence that was without the crocked Andy Webster.

The visitors had a great chance to score after just two minutes, with Russell and Daly combining to set up John Rankin inside the box but the midfielder's shot sailed just over. Hearts hit back, though, and on 11 minutes Stephen Elliott almost scored after redirecting a mis-hit Marius Zaliukas shot.

A long throw-in from Ryan McGowan had Tannadice keeper Dusan Pernis under pressure but the danger was eventually cleared, then John Rankin came within a whisker of breaking the deadlock.

With 16 minutes gone, the ex-Hibs man was fouled right on the edge of the Hearts box by Adrian Mrowiec — he thought it was inside — and he took the set-piece himself, smashing the ball off the bar with Marian Kello beaten. Up at the other end, Pernis was the hero as he kept out a close-range strike from Elliot before United stepped up a gear and got their noses in front on 38 minutes.

First, a cross from the left to the back post from Paul Dixon was beautifully met on the volley by Daly, forcing Kello to produce an excellent save. However, the goal was only delayed the time it took for Willo Flood to send in the resultant corner and an unmarked Daly to bullet his header home.

Elliott should have pulled the Jam Tarts level almost immediately when left with the ball at his feet right in front of goal but he somehow fired wide.

Eight minutes into the second half, the impressive Allan had a good opportunity inside the area but his shot wasn't strong enough to worry Kello. Defender Kenneth got his head to a Flood cross but the keeper did well to gather, before Russell was an inch away from making it 2-0, with his low shot whizzing just past.

Pernis then matched Kello's earlier stop from Daly with a magnificent one-handed stop to prevent David Templeton's rocket shot resulting in an equaliser on 70 minutes.

Hearts introduced both Arvydas Novikovas and Ryan Stevenson and then Rudi Skacel from the bench as they tried to peg United back, while the visitors took off Scott Severin and Allan and put on Scott Robertson and Barry Douglas.

As the match moved into stoppage time Rankin had a weak claim for a penalty turned down before Skacel almost hooked the ball into Tangerines' net when it looked to be going out of play. However, United played the game out nicely to claim a fine victory.

Attendance — 13,821.

Hearts — Kello, Grainger, Jonsson, Black, Elliott (Novikovas 70), Templeton, Obua, Sutton (Stevenson 77), McGowan, Zaliukas, Mrowiec (Skacel 70). Subs not used — MacDonald, Barr, Stevenson, Smith, Robinson.

Dundee United — Pernis, Dillon, Dixon, Severin (Robertson 76), Kenneth, Flood, Daly, Rankin, Watson, Russell, Allan (Douglas 84). Subs not used — Banks, Armstrong, Mackay-Steven, Dow, Hilson.

Referee-Brian Winter.

Taken from The Courier