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28th April 2024
Hearts were the opponents for our first top-six match in seven years as the sides clashed for the second time in as many months.
The three previous meetings with the Jambos this season had produced no fewer than 13 goals, so the match was set to guarantee action on Tayside.
Tam Courts made two changes to the side which gathered the point which secured our top six status against Dundee two weeks ago, as Kevin McDonald and Marc McNulty were replaced by full-back Scott McMann and Academy graduate Chris Mochrie, United lining up in a 5-3-2 which saw Liam Smith deployed in midfield once more.
It took less than 60 seconds for the Terrors to fashion their first chance, Dylan Levitt’s cross running all the way through to the unmarked Ross Graham six yards out at the back stick who somehow failed to guide the ball home into the empty net, Nicky Clark sending his follow up the wrong side of the post.
However, after spurning an early opportunity, United capitalised on their next sniff of goal as Levitt opened the scoring in emphatic fashion once more with four minutes on the clock. Tidy combination play from Tony Watt and Clark saw the former pick out the latter from the byline, and Clark’s toe-poked effort from point-blank range was smothered by Craig Gordon. The ball eventually found its way to the feet of Levitt on the right side of the area, and he jinked beyond two despairing Hearts challenges with ease before nonchalantly finishing past the keeper into the far corner.
At the other end, Aaron McEneff failed to find the target from just outside the area after a neat flick from Liam Boyce found the midfielder in space. This proved to be McEneff’s last involvement as he was forced off with an injury, replaced by Ben Woodburn.
Hearts were able to circulate the ball relatively easily around the two-man press from Watt and Clark but found great difficulty in finding a way past the ever-present Levitt who screened progressive passes into Boyce, who frequently dropped deep, or McKay fabulously. A counter-attack would then usually follow but United struggled to find an end product.
Siegrist’s first duties of the day came after 20 minutes as Barrie McKay’s wonderful pass with the outside of his boot found the advancing Boyce in behind the defence, the Swiss spreading himself well to make a strong save as the ball looked to be heading for the target.
United began to sit deep and deploy a more passive style of play as their initial high intensity football dropped off, which saw the Jambos able to work crossing scenarios relatively easily. Luckily for the hosts, these deliveries usually failed to find a maroon shirt. Ben Woodburn also managed to drop into nice pockets of space behind the midfield of United, then able to receive on the half-turn and drive at a backpedalling defence.
Hearts went close again, Taylor Moore striding forward unchallenged and seeing his strike loop up into the air following a deflection off a tangerine shirt, creating an awkward situation for Siegrist to deal with. The keeper managed to paw the ball away from the head of Boyce but it dropped perfectly for Josh Ginnelly to acrobatically strike towards goal, an incredible, diving intervention from the head of Mulgrew ten yards out the only thing preventing the Gorgie outfit drawing level.
On the stroke of half-time though, the visitors were level through top-scorer Boyce. Nathaniel Atkinson, who up until this point had endured a torrid time against McMann, drove to the line and drilled the ball across the area, and the Northern Ireland international beat Edwards to the cross and bundled it home untidily. This was the last action of a relatively flat and low-quality 45 minutes from both sides.
The second half begun sharply, as both teams carved out multiple half-chances inside five minutes. For United, McMann’s tenacity saw him dispossess Atkinson high up the pitch before driving into the area and testing Gordon with a near-post effort. Hearts went straight up the other end and hit the post as Ginnelly collected a misjudged back pass from Graham and cracked the woodwork from a tight angle.
Ginnelly made up for his missed opportunity soon after as Robbie Neilson’s side took the lead with 59 minutes played. Alex Cochrane clipped a perfectly weighted pass over the United rear-guard from deep for Ginnelly to pluck out the sky, round Siegrist and stroke home into the empty net.
60 seconds after the restart, substitute Kieran Freeman was denied by the gloves of Gordon after he was picked out by McMann’s looping cross which he struck on the half-volley.
Just as though it looked as the game was slipping away from the home side, captain Ryan Edwards stepped up to get his team back on level terms. Smith picked up a second ball and rolled it right to Edwards advancing from deep who initially lined up a strike but was closed down by Boyce. However, the defender chopped inside his opponent swiftly and arrowed a skidding effort into the bottom left corner past the despairing dive of Gordon from more than 25 yards.
The game opened out, as both teams looked to find what would surely be the winning goal in the latter stages. United were more patient in their build up, Levitt looking to create from deep as offered angle after angle for short, sharp passes. The Edinburgh men though were more ruthless and effective in their approach, looking for the dynamic runs of Gary Mackay-Steven into the vacated space left by both wing-back who pushed forward in search of a winner.
The winning goal eventually came, and it was delivered by the left boot of Ellis Simms unfortunately for Courts’ side. Substitute Archie Meekison was pickpocketed by Peter Haring a few yards outside the box and the ball eventually came to the feet of McKay. The former Rangers winger strolled forward 20 yards and fed Simms who positioned himself between Freeman and Edwards and was played clean through on goal by his teammate, dispatching confidently into the roof of the net.
Three minutes of injury time were issued but the chance to snatch a point didn’t come for United, a disappointing way to kick-off our battle with Ross County and Motherwell for fourth.
