Hearts 3-1 Dundee Utd

Paul Hartley opened the scoring for Hearts

Hearts were made to work hard by Dundee United but had too much firepower for the visitors at Tynecastle.

Paul Hartley put Hearts in front with a cool side-foot finish after 16 minutes.

But United levelled on 53 minutes when Jim McIntyre found the net with a powerful low shot after shrugging off Kevin McKenna's tame challenge.

United defender Mark Wilson diverted a Mark de Vries cross into his own net after 65 minutes and McKenna headed in a Hartley cross eight minutes later.

Hearts were boosted when captain Steven Pressley declared himself fit after missing Scotland's disappointing defeat in Wales on Wednesday with a back injury.

Midfielder Phil Stamp returned, having recovered from a knee problem, while Patrick Kisnorbo shrugged off a thigh strain to play.

United manager Ian McCall was without the suspended trio of Billy Dodds, Andy McLaren and Chris Innes.

Hearts started brightly and Dennis Wyness saw his deft shot tipped over the bar by Paul Gallacher after just two minutes.

The visitors threatened in the 14th minute when Collin Samuel eluded the challenge of Pressley on the edge of box after collecting Jim McIntyre's flick on, but he was denied by a superb save by Craig Gordon.

And just seconds later, Hearts defender Robbie Neilson did well to cut inside Barry Robson in the box, but he mishit his shot from a promising position.

The home side then took the lead on 16 minutes when Wyness and Stamp combined to find Hartley in the penalty area and the midfielder showed great composure to slot the ball low into the corner.

McKenna is congratulated by his Hearts team-mates

The hosts should have doubled their lead just eight minutes later when Neilson found Wyness at the back post, but he was again denied by a good save from Gallagher.

United responded well and Gordon had to look alert to get down to a fierce Wilson free-kick and just seconds later the Scotland Under-21 keeper saved a powerful shot from the same player.

United levelled the game in the 53rd minute when McIntyre eased past Kevin McKenna in the box and drilled the ball under Gordon.

Samuel, who scored a hat-trick against Hearts for Falkirk last season, almost gave United the lead but McKenna recovered to superbly block his shot.

Hearts restored their lead after Wilson put the ball through his own net after 65 minutes.

Mark de Vries played a harmless ball across the six-yard box but the defender made a real mess of trying to clear the ball and sliced it into the net.

In the 73rd minute McKenna was on hand to direct Hartley's brilliant diagonal cross into the far corner of the net past the hapless Gallacher.

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Hearts: Gordon, McKenna, Pressley, Webster, Neilson, Stamp (Sloan 63), Kisnorbo (Janczyk 87), Hartley, Maybury, de Vries, Wyness (Kirk 63). Subs Not Used: Moilanen, MacFarlane.

Dundee United: Gallacher, Wilson, McCracken, Archibald, Duff, Kerr (Easton 45), McInnes, Miller (Scotland 66), Robson (James Paterson 20), McIntyre, Samuel . Subs Not Used: Jarvie, Holmes.

Attendance: 10,265
Referee: C Richmond