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LOYALTY PERIOD EXTENDED
29th April 2024
Dundee United and Hearts battled out a nil nil stalemate at Tynecastle this afternoon in bitterly cold conditions.
Danny Cadamarteri missed from the spot in the second half, but, following a flurry of real chances for the visitors, it felt like two points dropped rather than one gained for United.
Craig Levein again had to improvise with his selection, with Sean Dillon again starting in midfield, and a testament to the depth of the squad is that heading into the 14th league game of the season only goalkeeper Nicky Weaver has started every game.
Hearts have endured similar selection difficulties through injuries and indiscipline, and their only ever-present Ismael Bouzid missed out today after picking up a red card last week.
The form book suggested United should run out winners, with Hearts going into the game with just one win from their last eight, while United had lost just once over the same period, and only failed to score on a solitary occasion.
After quarter of an hour of frantic end to end football, Craig Conway had the first opportunity on goal, firing Sean Dillon's lay-off wide of the mark. The home side responded straight away at the other end of the park, but Jonsson's header was off target.
Scott Robertson almost found the net on two occasions on his return to first team action, the first of which fell on the half hour mark. Jon Daly and Casalinuovo combined to flick the ball into the midfielder's path, but he blasted his effort past Kello's left-hand post.
Moments later his 20-yard drive was parried away by Kello, and as Daly attempted to pounce on the rebound, the keeper again scurried the ball away picking up a nasty bruise over his right eye which required treatment.
Jon Daly then had two chances to break the deadlock before the interval, firing over the bar on 40 minutes, before he headed Conway's injury time corner onto the post.
Neither side opted to make any changes at the interval, but the early introduction of Danny Cadamarteri on 48 minutes had an instant effect upfront for the visitors as they looked revitalised in attack.
And the 30 year-old earned a penalty after 60 minutes when his run down the left flank was brought to an abrupt end inside the box by Eggert Jonsson, who always looked in danger of conceding a foul as he struggled to keep pace.
Cadamarteri took the spot kick, but Marian Kello saved well diving to his left, while Robertson could only find the side netting with the rebound as he as he tried to steer the ball home from a difficult angle.
A route one clearance from former Man City keeper Nicky Weaver, who barely featured throughout the 90 minutes, resulted in another chance for United, as Cadamarteri teed up substitute Danny Swanson whose neat left-foot drive had Marian Kello at full stretch to deny United the lead.
United boss Craig Levein said he viewed the result more as two points dropped than one gained
He said: "I think defensively we coped well. Last week our two wingers were probably our best players, but they didn't do as well this week so that meant we didn't create as many chances.
"I am disappointed to be leaving with a point, because Nicky (Weaver) came up to me after the match and pointed out he didn't have a single save to make. How often does that happen at Tynecastle?
"With the Rangers game on Tuesday, three points today would've meant we could go into that knowing a win would put us on their coattails. We can't do that now, but we'll be looking to put pressure on them.
"I have to give a special mention to Sean Dillon as well. In the last two games he's been out of position, but he's passed well and played well, and really looked like a central midfielder."
Teams:
Dundee United: Weaver, Kovacevic, Kenneth, Webster, Dixon, Williams, Dillon, S. Robertson, Conway (Swanson 58), Daly (Shala 76), Casalinuovo (Cadamarteri 48).
Subs Not Used: Banks, Dods, D. Robertson, Goodwillie
Heart of Midlothian: Kello, Wallace, Jonsson, Goncalves, Palazuelos, Kingston, Obua (Novikovas 32), Mole (Nade 53), Stewart, Thomson, Robinson (Glen 76).
Subs Not Used: Ridgers, Kucharski, Templeton, J Stewart.
Danny Cadamarteri missed from the spot in the second half, but, following a flurry of real chances for the visitors, it felt like two points dropped rather than one gained for United.
Craig Levein again had to improvise with his selection, with Sean Dillon again starting in midfield, and a testament to the depth of the squad is that heading into the 14th league game of the season only goalkeeper Nicky Weaver has started every game.
Hearts have endured similar selection difficulties through injuries and indiscipline, and their only ever-present Ismael Bouzid missed out today after picking up a red card last week.
The form book suggested United should run out winners, with Hearts going into the game with just one win from their last eight, while United had lost just once over the same period, and only failed to score on a solitary occasion.
After quarter of an hour of frantic end to end football, Craig Conway had the first opportunity on goal, firing Sean Dillon's lay-off wide of the mark. The home side responded straight away at the other end of the park, but Jonsson's header was off target.
Scott Robertson almost found the net on two occasions on his return to first team action, the first of which fell on the half hour mark. Jon Daly and Casalinuovo combined to flick the ball into the midfielder's path, but he blasted his effort past Kello's left-hand post.
Moments later his 20-yard drive was parried away by Kello, and as Daly attempted to pounce on the rebound, the keeper again scurried the ball away picking up a nasty bruise over his right eye which required treatment.
Jon Daly then had two chances to break the deadlock before the interval, firing over the bar on 40 minutes, before he headed Conway's injury time corner onto the post.
Neither side opted to make any changes at the interval, but the early introduction of Danny Cadamarteri on 48 minutes had an instant effect upfront for the visitors as they looked revitalised in attack.
And the 30 year-old earned a penalty after 60 minutes when his run down the left flank was brought to an abrupt end inside the box by Eggert Jonsson, who always looked in danger of conceding a foul as he struggled to keep pace.
Cadamarteri took the spot kick, but Marian Kello saved well diving to his left, while Robertson could only find the side netting with the rebound as he as he tried to steer the ball home from a difficult angle.
A route one clearance from former Man City keeper Nicky Weaver, who barely featured throughout the 90 minutes, resulted in another chance for United, as Cadamarteri teed up substitute Danny Swanson whose neat left-foot drive had Marian Kello at full stretch to deny United the lead.
United boss Craig Levein said he viewed the result more as two points dropped than one gained
He said: "I think defensively we coped well. Last week our two wingers were probably our best players, but they didn't do as well this week so that meant we didn't create as many chances.
"I am disappointed to be leaving with a point, because Nicky (Weaver) came up to me after the match and pointed out he didn't have a single save to make. How often does that happen at Tynecastle?
"With the Rangers game on Tuesday, three points today would've meant we could go into that knowing a win would put us on their coattails. We can't do that now, but we'll be looking to put pressure on them.
"I have to give a special mention to Sean Dillon as well. In the last two games he's been out of position, but he's passed well and played well, and really looked like a central midfielder."
Teams:
Dundee United: Weaver, Kovacevic, Kenneth, Webster, Dixon, Williams, Dillon, S. Robertson, Conway (Swanson 58), Daly (Shala 76), Casalinuovo (Cadamarteri 48).
Subs Not Used: Banks, Dods, D. Robertson, Goodwillie
Heart of Midlothian: Kello, Wallace, Jonsson, Goncalves, Palazuelos, Kingston, Obua (Novikovas 32), Mole (Nade 53), Stewart, Thomson, Robinson (Glen 76).
Subs Not Used: Ridgers, Kucharski, Templeton, J Stewart.
