Heart of Midlothian 1
Dundee 3
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

Dundee kept up their remarkable away form on a sunny Sunday afternoon at Tynecastle Park. This excellent win was their third in a row away from Dens Park.

There's a new confidence about the Dundee team, sparked off I reckon by their overdue victory over Dundee United nine days ago. They were in control at Tynecastle for most of the 90 minutes, showing a composure and accuracy a frantic Hearts team couldn't match.

What pleased Donald Mackay most of all was the way they faced up to their bad breaks yesterday, they had to contend with two very dodgy penalty awards against them.

Hearts missed one in the first half, and scored from one in the second, but even when Dundee's lead was cut to 2-1, and around 12,000 fans were roaring on the home team, the Dens Parkers never flinched.

Young Tosh McKinlay scored his first goal for Dundee Walker McCall got the other two, aided both times by Peter Mackie, who had an excellent game.

Highlight of the first half was McKinlay's goal in the 18th minute.

With Hearts lined up at a free kick expecting a shot from Ferguson or Fraser, Fergie whipped the ball across the penalty area to McKinlay who shot low and accurately into the corner of the net from fully 25 yards.

After an uncertain start this was the tonic Dundee needed. They played it coolly and confidently in contrast to the ragged efforts of Hearts, who had ex-Dens Parker Stewart McLaren booked for persistent fouling in 29 minutes.

The visitors absorbed all home pressure and always looked more dangerous in front of goal. Still it should have been 1-1 at the interval, for Hearts missed a penalty kick in 34 minutes.

Bobby Glennie, chasing John Robertson, appeared to slip and clip his opponent's heels. A pure accident, it seemed to me, but nevertheless a penalty was given.

Robertson himself took the spot kick and held his head in anguish as Bobby Geddes anticipated well and dived to save.

The Dundee keeper had only one other nasty moment early in the first period when a well-struck free kick from Cowie almost got through.

After Mackay had shot wide early in the second half, Dundee hit back in the space of a minute with two headers from Ferguson not far off target, but definite chances.

But the second goal did come along in 57 minutes with a header from McCall. It was perfectly executed from a perfect right-wing cross from Mackie.

Simple tackle Desperate Hearts brought on O'Connor for Park and got a second penalty award in 63 minutes.

This was definitely a soft one with poor Bobby Glennie penalised again, this time for a simple tackle on McLaren. Gary Mackay took the kick and scored to put the home side back in business.

Dundee's composure wavered just a little, and Richardson got himself booked.

All was put right in 72 minutes, though, when Dundee scored their third goal. Again the lively Mackie was the architect with a low cross placed accurately to the far post for McCall to net easily.

Hearts' Kidd was the game's third booking and Dundee, in full control, could have scored twice more before the end as Smith brought off good saves from Fraser and Stephen.

By this time most of the disappointed home fans were homeward. bound while Dundee's travelling support stayed to cheer their heroes off the field.

Match report written by The Courier