SPFL,
Friday 21 March 2014 – Tynecastle
BT Sport’s television deal
with the SPFL has seen several games this season switched to a Friday evening.
This week it was Hearts turn and the novelty of starting the weekend by going
to the football seemed to entice nearly 13,500 fans to Tynecastle on a night
when you wouldn’t have sent the dog out as rain lashed Scotland’s capital city.
Perhaps it was the prospect of the first competitive game on a Friday at
Tynecastle for half a century.
Sadly for the Maroon Army,
the outcome of the game was the same as it has been for much of the season.
Another defeat pushed Hearts ever closer to Championship football next season.
The difficult conditions
leant weight to that oft-used cliché ‘not conducive to good football’ although
Dundee United still tried to play the passing style that has won them so many
admirers this season. That said, their early attempts at goal were long-range
efforts from Rankin and Robertson that failed to trouble a mud-splattered Jamie
MacDonald in the Hearts goal. If anything, it was Hearts who looked more threatening
with some laudable build-up play and Kevin McHattie fired an effort which was saved
by United keeper Cierzniak before Dale Carrick had an effort that went close.
As half-time appeared on the
horizon, I mentioned that Hearts had done well to keep the free-scoring United
team at bay. Therefore, I blame myself for the visitors immediately taking the
lead ten minutes before the break. Good build up play from Dow and Robertson
set up Graham with the easiest of chances which he duly took from three yards with
the home side half-heartedly appealing for offside. Hearts tried to fight back
and Callum Paterson headed David Smith’s cross over the crossbar when he really
should have hit the target before Ryan Stevenson fired in an effort that shook
the rainwater from the side net. Half-time arrived with United a goal ahead.
United began the second half
on the offensive with Robertson producing a fine save from Jamie MacDonald
before Ciftci wasted a chance to double the visitor’s lead. Soon after,
Armstrong produced another great save from Hearts increasingly busy goalkeeper
and it seemed just a matter of time before the second goal would come. It duly
arrived 20 minutes from time with a quite brilliant goal from the impressive Ciftci
who danced passed three Hearts players before firing a superb shot past the
diving Jamie Mac.
To their credit, Hearts
refused to throw in the towel and eight minutes later, skipper Danny Wilson
powered home a header from Sam Nicholson’s corner kick to pull a goal back
which resulted in a spirited finish from the home side. However, it was to no
avail and Hearts relegation will be confirmed next Sunday should they fail to
beat Hibernian in the Edinburgh derby. It’s a scenario manager Gary Locke isn’t
willing to contemplate and he spoke afterwards about his hope that his young
team would record their third victory of the season over their great rivals.
“It's what our supporters deserve," said the Gorgie boss. "Everyone
knows the situation we're in and the fans were right behind the cause again
tonight. To get 13,500 on a Friday night is nothing short of incredible. We
can't thank the fans enough."
Hearts: MacDonald; Paterson, McGowan,
Wilson, McHattie; Stevenson, Robinson, Hamill; Smith, Carrick, Nicholson.
Dundee
Utd: Cierzniak,
Wilson, Gunning, Dillon, Robertson, Paton, Rankin, Graham, Armstrong, Dow,
Ciftci. .
Referee: Bobby Madden
Att: 13,448
Top man: Jamie MacDonald
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