Ben Woodburn put Hearts back in the mix between Rangers and Celtic at the top of the Premiership with his first goals for the club. The 22-year-old Wales international, on loan from Liverpool, opened the scoring then added the home side’s third early in the second half. They needed that cushion because Dundee United, while not as defensively sound as they have been, were not lacking in courage and twice came back from two-goal deficits to produce a match you could not take your eyes off.
It was expected to be tighter with fewer goals because the strong starts to the season of both clubs have been built on impressive partnerships at the back.
John Souttar and Charlie Mulgrew have been elegant and constructive from there, but helped in that by being beside the more rugged Craig Halkett and Ryan Edwards respectively, while Stephen Kingsley, the third member of Hearts’ central defensive cohort, has shown a penchant for popping in free-kicks from the edge of the box besides bringing left-sided balance.
After Grant Hanley’s withdrawal on Friday, there’s an expectation Souttar could receive a call from Steve Clarke, if he has not already, to join the squad selected for the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Denmark when Scotland hope to close out a play-off place. Souttar’s scored three goals this season, including the winner against Celtic on the opening weekend as Hearts made a flying start and a penalty in last week’s defeat at Aberdeen, their first in the league. Craig Levein, who nurtured him at Tynecastle, says he’d have 30 caps for his country by now and be a Premier League player but for the Achilles tendon injuries that have marred his career.
Mulgrew has been inspirational as United have defied expectations, although he only lasted to half-time yesterday before being replaced by 16-year-old Kerr Smith, nearly 20 years his junior, and United missed his experience. Initially, Thomas Courts, their head coach, made four changes from last week’s home defeat by St Johnstone. Dylan Levitt, on loan from Manchester United, missed out, along with Smith, Logan Chalmers and Louis Appere. Declan Glass, Illmari Niskanen, Luke Freeman and Peter Pawlett all came in.
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Hearts hoped to have Liam Boyce back, but he didn’t make it, so John Ginnelly, mainly used as support to the striker so far by Robbie Neilson this season, led the line rather than Armand Gnanduillet, a more traditional target man, although it was Woodburn who would make the difference.
Taylor Moore and Barrie McKay also came in, with Michael Smith missing out through a back injury and Gary Mackay-Steven, like Gnanduillet, demoted to substitute after starting at Aberdeen.
Hearts looked determined to return to winning ways after last week’s defeat and Woodburn sent in a decent shot that Benjamin Siegrist saved well after Jeando Fuchs was caught in possession just outside his own box. At the other end, Souttar made an important block as Peter Pawlett nearly slipped Nicky Clark in.
Having hinted at his first goal for Hearts, Woodburn then scored it midway through the first half, although Siegrist probably felt he should have stopped the shot, which seemed to go through the Swiss goalkeeper’s dive. What could not be questioned was the quality of Hearts’ passing to create the chance, as Souttar zipped the ball into Barrie McKay, who controlled it instantly and laid it back to Cameron Devlin and he swiftly played Woodburn in for his shot.
United could not compose themselves and soon fell further behind. This time Ginnelly caused the danger from the right and his cross was sweetly volleyed home by Alex Cochrane stepping forward into United’s box from his left wing-back berth.
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They tried to hit back quickly, but Craig Gordon made a superb save high to his left to deny Clark from Mulgrew’s free-kick. It was a save that many goalkeepers could not make and in keeping with Gordon’s general excellence this season, but then he failed to stop a shot that most goalkeepers would have from Edwards.
It was a good clean hit from the United defender from 30 yards, but, whether unsighted or deceived by a slight deflection, Gordon reacted too late to it as it found the bottom corner and offered United a lifeline to the noisy delight of their travelling fans at the other end of Tynecastle.
Hearts tried to reassert themselves before half-time and Siegrist stopped a shot from the busy Devlin after Hearts appealed to John Beaton for a penalty that was not forthcoming from the referee when Scott McMann got himself into a mess in his own box and attempted to retrieve matters with a desperate, if just about legitimate, challenge before the ball broke Devlin’s way.
They started the second half with similar intent and with Mulgrew no longer there to marshal United’s defence soon restored their two-goal advantage. It was a sweet strike from Woodburn after United could not properly clear from a corner, he met the ball on the rise at the edge of the box with a sidefoot volley and controlled his finish admirably from there.
If Hearts thought that would be the end of United’s resistance, they were wrong. Kieran Freeman crossed from the right and Nicky Clark scored with a diving header to leave the outcome in doubt going into the final quarter of the match.
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Siegrist saved well from Ginnelly to keep United in it, but could not stop Kingsley from heading in a fine delivery from Cochrane to ensure Hearts took the points and second place and there was still time for a fifth goal for them from substitute Aaron McEneff to make the scoreline harsh on United, who contributed handsomely to the spectacle before running out of steam.
THE GAFFER TAPES (WHAT THE MANAGERS SAID)
ROBBIE NEILSON: “At 2-0 up we were quite comfortable and they score and it changes the atmosphere a bit. But credit to the players and fans, they kept at it. We ask the boys to pass the ball, so we’ll lose goals, but we’re going to score them as well.”
THOMAS COURTS: “For the first 20 minutes we were excellent, we were on the front foot and our shape was excellent. After that we started to get loose in possession, which checked our own momentum and started to give Hearts some control.”
