Dundee United 1 Hearts 0

Nov 20 2011 By Rob Fairburn, Sunday Mail

SCOTT ROBERTSON ended his three-year goal hoodoo in style to bag three vital points for United.

The 26-year-old midfielder last scored in December 2008 against Falkirk and was beginning to wonder if he would ever find the back of the net again.

But there was no doubting the quality of his diving header after 23 minutes that broke Hearts who, despite all their possession, could not break down the home side.

Robertson said: “It’s nearly three years since I last scored but I was injured for 18 months of that time so my record looks a lot worse than it is.

“Since coming back from injury I have gone close on several occasions but I’ve come up against great goalkeeping.

“It has not been bugging me but I have been desperate to score.

“It was a brilliant cross in from Jon Daly – if I had missed that then I should just give up.

“The manager has been on about how we need more goals from midfield.

“As each game passed without me scoring, I was beginning to ­wonder if I would ever score again.”

Robertson was the architect and ­finisher of a brilliantly-worked goal.

He won the ball in midfield then sent the ball down the right touchline for Daly to chase.

The United skipper sent over a ­tantalising cross to pick out Robertson who had continued his run in to the box to send a diving header past the helpless Marian Kello.

After a sticky spell, Robertson – capped twice for Scotland – believes United are now on an upward spiral and have a top six place in their sights again.

Robertson added: “The manager was under pressure, wrongly in my opinion, before our big 4-1 win recently at Dunfermline.

“We were being criticised for losing three goals a game but we went to Ibrox and played well and were unlucky.

“Now we have a cleansheet and three points from a very tough match so things are looking a lot better.”

But it was another bad day at the office for Hearts.

They had plenty of possession in midfield but lacked a cutting edge and serious goal threat.

It all got too much for manager Paolo Sergio – currently serving a five match touchline ban.

He abandoned his seat at the back of the stand to bellow ­instructions to the bench below, demanding a double substitution to try and spark some life into his men.

The travelling fans also made their discontent known with a maroon and white scarf thrown towards the dug-out area. The chorus of jeers at the full-time whistle told its own story.

With all the off-field problems going on at the club, the last thing they need is a poor run of results but no wins and no goals in the last four games will set the alarm bells ringing.

David Templeton almost gave the Jambos the lead after nine minutes with a side-footer from the edge of the box that went inches wide.

Even after United’s goal Hearts responded by going straight down the park and Rudi Skacel put the ball in the net only to be foiled by an offside flag.

Ryan McGowan’s cross-cum-shot almost caught out United keeper Dusan Pernis who did well to fingertip the ball clear and the keeper again came to the rescue when he parried a fiercely-struck Skacel shot.

The introduction of Moroccan Mehdi Taouil on the hour introduced some creativity to the Hearts midfield and he almost set up an equaliser.

His cross from the right was not cleared properly by former Jambo Robbie Neilson but John Sutton’s shot lacked power and Pernis saved easily from eight yards.

Neilson used all his experience to get through the second half, despite having the likes of Templeton running at him and he looks certain to be an asset to the United back line.

The home side were rarely seen as an attacking force in the second half although they did have the ball in the net again after 67 minutes.

Gary MacKay-Steven’s shot was ­parried by Kello into the path of Daly who fired home from an offside position which was immediately flagged up by the linesman.

Taken from the Daily Record