Dundee Utd 1-1 Hearts

Mark Wilson is mobbed by his delighted team-mates

A Mark Wilson strike gave battling Dundee United a share of the points against Hearts at Tannadice.

The game was barely five minutes old when Kevin McKenna took an Alan Maybury throw-in and volleyed an unstoppable shot from 16 yards past Paul Jarvie.

The home side came back strongly in the second half and they got their rewards when Wilson hooked a shot from just inside the box over Craig Gordon.

Both sides hit the woodwork twice but a point was a fair result.

It was United who had the first strike on goal in the third minute after a Barry Robson shot was blocked inside the Hearts penalty area.

The alert Collin Samuel picked up the rebound and hammered his powerful left foot shot just past Craig Gordon's left-hand post.

But it was the visitors who took the early lead when Kevin McKenna collected the ball before turning and volleying a right-footed shot from 16 yards over United keeper Paul Jarvie and into the far corner of the net.

In the 14th minute the confident McKenna tried his luck again from 25 yards but this time the ball flew high over the bar.

Two minutes later the Gorgie men should have doubled their lead when, following a Robbie Neilson cross from the right, McKenna set up Dennis Wyness 10 yards from goal but he carelessly blasted his shot over the bar.

Patrick Kisnorbo had the ball in the net from a Joe Hamill cross but referee Iain Brines ruled it out for a foul on United skipper Derek McInnes.

The hosts showed they were far from finished when Samuel drove a shot from the edge of the box, which cannoned off Craig Gordon's left-hand post.

Kevin McKenna (left) can scarcely believe his wonder goal

Then, in the 24th minute it was the visitors' turn to hit the woodwork through defender Andy Webster's 30-yard drive.

Seven minutes into the second period, Billy Dodds had the ball in the net from a yard out following a Chris Innes header to score what seemed like the leveller.

But the striker's joy was cut short when he spotted the assistant referee with his flag up.

As the second half wore on the game went off the boil but in the 62nd minute United got the goal their pressure deserved.

Robson's free-kick from the right was cleared by a wall of Hearts defenders but the ball only dropped as far as Wilson 16 yards from goal.

The United defender hooked a terrific right-footed shot over Gordon and into the far corner of the net.

Hearts were tiring but they almost regained the lead in the 70th minute when substitute Ramon Pereira shrugged off Innes 14 yards from goal before crashing a right-footed shot off the base of Jarvie's near post.

There was no respite and seconds later at the other end, Wilson's inswinging corner from the left was knocked off the line by Maybury at the far post.

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Dundee Utd: Jarvie, Wilson, McCracken, Innes, Archibald, Samuel (Scotland 67), Brebner, McInnes, Robson, Dodds (McIntyre 71), Grady (Kerkar 71).

Subs Not Used: Hirschfeld, Ritchie, Gardiner, Cameron. Booked: Wilson, Brebner.

Goal: Wilson 62.

Hearts: Gordon, Neilson, Pressley, Webster, Maybury, Wyness (McAllister 68), Hartley (Stewart 74), Kisnorbo, Hamill, Weir (Pereira 50), McKenna.

Subs Not Used: Moilanen, MacFarlane, Berra, Elliot.

Booked: Pressley, McAllister, Maybury.

Goal: McKenna 5.

Att: 5,723

Ref: I Brines