Dundee United 2 Hearts 2

From BILL LECKIE at Tannadice
Published: 28th April 2012
WHEN the stakes are this high, you’ve got to wonder how anyone’s energy can be so low.

Yet that was Dundee United yesterday. A team who never really got going, watched by a support who couldn’t inspire them to.

Three points and a Champions League place would have been in their own hands, no matter what Motherwell did later in the day.

But from start to finish, they kept switching off.

And eight minutes from time, they were made to pay with a quite stunning strike from Jambos sub Arvy Novikovas.

The Lithuanian, on the park less than three minutes, cut in from the right and unleashed a raging drive that ripped past the flying Dusan Pernis’ right hand and into the far postage stamp.

It was a goal that earned Hearts a point they deserved.

In fact, when you think that David Templeton hit the bar, Ryan McGowan and Marius Zaliukas missed free headers and Pernis made an outstanding save from a second-half Rudi Skacel header, they’ve an argument for being due all three points.

And the thing is, United couldn’t have complained if they’d been left empty-handed. Because this was their big day — the chance to go third, even only for a few hours, with the world watching live on TV.

But when the bright lights and the big stage called, they fluffed their lines.

Truth is, they looked like a team who’d prepared for a three o’clock kick-off only to be told at breakfast time it was actually a half 12. A team who have to play a whole lot better if they’re to get enough points off the Old Firm and Motherwell to clinch third place.

They toiled for 32 minutes until Willo Flood eased the nerves with a magnificent goal, picking up McGowan’s wayward headed clearance 30 yards out, taking a touch and bending his shot low into the right-hand corner of Jamie MacDonald’s net.

Yet even then, they took their eye off the ball, because within three minutes Hearts were level.

McGowan, head swathed in bandages from an earlier clash, strode down the right and hung up a cross beyond the penalty spot. Defender Robbie Neilson won it in the air, but the ball looped to Skacel for a header that bounced beyond Pernis and in at the far post.

Throughout all this huff and puff, United’s only real spark was coming from jinking winger Gary Mackay-Steven. He was the first to get the punters out of their seats with a brilliant little cameo down by the touchline in his own half when he flipped over Suso Santana, kneed the dropping ball over Ian Black, controlled, left Darren Barr panting then hit the deck as the midfielder hauled him back.

And sure enough, just after the hour, it was the league’s Young Player of the Month who put United in front again.

Andy Webster headed a cross behind to give the home side their first corner of the match.

And boy, did they make it count, Flood delivering low to the far edge of the box, where Mackay-Steven cracked a first-time effort low past MacDonald. Hearts never at any point looked down and out though.

Robbed of Craig Beattie after just half an hour when his troublesome hamstring tightened, they threw the kitchen sink forward, going three at the back and putting Templeton and Novikovas on for the last hoorah.

What a hoorah it was, too, as Novikovas saved the day in style.

It was the kind of strike you expect from Manchester United winger Nani — and the Jambos hero tried a celebration to match. I say tried. Because he failed miserably.

The forward somersault wasn’t bad, but when he tried to twist into the reverse flip, he crashed into team- mate Templeton and landed on his backside.

He grinned: “It was the best goal I’ve ever scored and I wanted a celebration to go with it. But Temps was too close and it didn’t work. Next time I’ll get it right... if I ever score again!”