For the visit to Tynecastle, Ian McCall was without the injured Mark Wilson, Billy Dodds and Derek Lilley. Russell Latapy (pictured) was returned to the midfield and Charlie Miller was played up front alongside Jim McIntyre.
United were the better side in the opening twenty minutes and Latapy was getting the better of a nervous Hearts side, but chances were few and far between for both sides in the early stages. Hearts began to take charge in the latter stages of the half with Valois, De Vries and Severin all trying their luck at goal before United took the lead through a beautifully executed Griffin free-kick.
In the second half Hearts continued where they had left off but the United defence was coping well with anything the Maroons could conjure up. The turning point was probably a double substitution just after the hour mark and within a few minutes, Hearts had worked an equaliser with Webster slotting in from close range. Ten minutes later, both Hearts' subs were involved in the move that ended with Kirk scoring from inside the six yard area, after Boyack's cross had ricocheted off first De Vries and then the unfortunate Stuart Duff.
Hearts: Moilanen, Severin (Boyack 62), Webster, McKenna, Janczyk, Stamp, Neilson, Valois, McCann, de Vries, Wales (Kirk 62).
Subs Not Used: McKenzie, MacFarlane, Weir.
United : Gallacher, Tod, McCracken, Bollan, Duff, Easton, Latapy (McCunnie 57), Griffin (Smart 72), Paterson (Ogunmade 82), McIntyre, Miller.
Subs Not Used: Combe, Chiarini.
Referee: I Brines
Attendance: 9,663