MATCH REPORT : UNITED DEFEATED IN GORGIE THRILLER

United returned to Lothian for the third away game on the bounce to take on Hearts in Gorgie with third place in the cinch Premiership awaiting the winner. Having suffered their first loss since August, which was at the hands of the Jambos coincidentally, United were looking to bounce back quickly despite the formidable opponents. Peter Pawlett and Ilmari Niskanen returned to the starting XI alongside Our Academy graduate Declan Glass to make up three changes to the side defeated by St Johnstone last week, with United maintaining their trademark 4-3-3 shape.
 
Glass’ long-distance strike which forced Gordon to acrobatically touch the ball round the post for a corner, as well as a crucial intervention from former United man John Souttar before Clark pulled the trigger in the area was the closest United came in the opening stages, as the Jambos took the upper hand with their organised narrow press which forced multiple turnovers in the crowded central areas. Hearts would then burst into life with runners from wing-back proving particularly troublesome for a compact United defence, giving Josh Ginnelly and Barrie McKay space to operate in.
 
Ben Woodburn went close with a well-struck effort towards the near-post which was saved by Siegrist, before the Liverpool loanee opened his Hearts account on the 22nd minute. McKay twisted away from McMann and rolled the ball into the feet of Ginnelly on the edge of the area. The 24-year-old held off the pressure from the United defence and slipped a pass into the right side of the area for Woodburn to slam the ball through Siegrist.
 
The Gorgie side didn’t have to wait long to extend their lead, Alex Cochrane slamming Ginnelly’s cross into the far corner on the volley after a lengthy stramash in the United box just three minutes later.
 
It seemed this quickfire double sparked United into life and but for a world-class save from Gordon, the Terrors could’ve pulled a goal back. Charlie Mulgrew bent a pinpoint free-kick from the left of the box towards Clark who bounced a volley into the turf, but the Scotland stopper sprung to his left to paw the ball away from the top corner.
 
This didn’t dishearten United, and Ryan Edwards got himself on the scoresheet in spectacular fashion soon after. The centre-half picked up the ball 35 yards from goal and, with no-one making themselves available for a progressive pass, he thundered the ball past Gordon at his near-post to get Tam Courts’ side back into the contest.
 
Hearts hit back with a chance of their own, Souttar meeting Cochrane’s delivery with a powerful header which forced Siegrist into action.
 
Mckay also tested the United stopper with a low strike destined for the corner after he was teed up by Ginnelly, and a lapse in concentration presented Cammy Devlin with a one-on-one, Siegrist on hand to rescue United once more.
 
The danger man for Hearts, Ginnelly, was at the centre of the action after the break, as he toyed with substitute Kerr Smith before driving the ball into Siegrist. The resultant corner from Cochrane fell to Woodburn behind the penalty spot, the striker then beautifully cushioned the ball into the postage stamp to restore the Tynecastle men’s two-goal advantage.
 
The pendulum swung back in United’s favour despite their slow movement of the ball, and Niskanen warmed the gloves of the Hearts stopper after being laid in by Glass, before Nicky Clark lifted his side off the canvas by rounding off a free-flowing team move involving Pawlett and Kieran Freeman, as the striker nodded home Freeman’s cross from point-blank range.
 
Hearts recognised United’s threat and began to drop back into a 5-3-2 to soak up the pressure and spring effective and dynamic counter-attacks through the pace and trickery of Ginnelly and Gary Mackay-Steven.
 
Baningime struck wide under pressure from Harkes, then Ginnelly continued to terrorrise the United backline, hitting the post with a right-footed effort from the edge of the D via a crucial deflection off Siegrist. This save eventually counted for nothing though, as Kingsley added a fourth for the hosts as he bulleted Cochrane’s cross home at the back stick to kill off United’s chances of nicking a point.
 
There was still time for Tynecastle to erupt in celebration for a final time, Mackay-Steven pickpocketing Smith and putting fellow substitute Aaron McEneff through one-on-one with Siegrist. The Irishman kept his composure to nonchalantly dink the ball over the onrushing United keeper for five, giving a slightly harsh reflection of the how the match truly unfolded.
 
After four minutes of injury time, Referee John Beaton’s whistle sounded to conclude a disappointing result for United in Gorgie, with the upcoming interntional break providing the squad with a good opportunity to reset and recover ahead of the next batch of cinch Premiership fixtures.