Dundee 1
Heart of Midlothian 1
League (Premier League)

Match Report

Fabian Caballero's first goal since May 2003 had the home support briefly dreaming of a second successive win. but those thoughts lasted only six minutes before substitute Joe Hamill made an instant impact to earn Hearts a deserved share of the spoils.

It was the same starting eleven for Dundee after the win over Caley Thistle, new boy Joel Kitamirike was on the bench, while Steve Lovell was again absent as he served the last game of his suspension.

Defences were on top for most of this entertaining draw, with the central defensive pairings of Wilkie and Macdonald for Dundee and Webster and Pressley for the visitors in fine form, scoring opportunities were few and far between.

Hearts started the better, and had a lot of first half possession.

Their first chance came in five minutes when Wyness evaded Wilkie's challenge and raced towards goal only to fire his effort over the bar.

Hearts continued to press forward, but apart from having to deal expertly with a lot of crosses Derek Soutar wasn't exactly troubled.

Midway through the half Dundee created what was the best chance of the half, Neil Barrett challenged McAllister as the full back tried to clear and won the ball cleanly.

The Englishman raced down the right and fired in a low cross that Tam McManus lashed inches wide of the target.

It was an opportunity missed for the striker who was getting dogs abuse from the visiting support.

Fabian Caballero had half chances too. trying to bend a Wilkie knockdown past Craig Gordon and being denied by a last ditch tackle as he tried to tee up an effort deep inside the Hearts box.

As the half closed Hearts were back on top with Dundee struggling to get forward at all.

The interval sorted that out though and the second half started with the Dark Blues pushing forward.

Caballero was getting much more involved and he came close to scoring in 52 minutes with a vicious drive which looped off McAllister and just over the bar with Gordon struggling to get back into position to save.

From the resulting corner Dundee took the lead, Hearts failed to clear the set piece properly and the ball eventually fell to McManus who launched a powerful effort on target, again McAllister blocked the ball which spun across goal from where Caballero steadied himself and placed home the deftest of headers past Gordon's despairing dive.

Dundee now oozed confidence, and Steven Robb came close to doubling the lead in 57 minutes, racing from his own half and leaving a trail of Hearts players in his wake before smashing a rocket shot inches over. It was a moment when the whole home support were on their feet ready to acclaim a goal of season contender.

Three minutes later Hearts were level, John Robertson withdrew recent Dundee signing target Ramon Pereira, who had shown some nice touches, but rarely threatened, and introduced Joe Hamill with immediate impact.

The winger's first involvement saw him carry the ball down the left before feeding the overlapping McAllister, his cross found the head of on loan striker Lee Miller who nodded the ball down into the six yard box from where Hamill, who had continued his run, slid it home.

With 21 minutes left, Dundee should have been ahead again, Fotheringham's curled corner found the head of Wilkie to set up John Sutton seven yards out and the striker smashed his shot through a crowded six-yard box, but had got too much elevation on the effort and it cleared the bar much to the relief of Gordon and his defenders.

Caballero really looked in the mood and won a string of free-kicks as Hearts tried everything to stop him.

Both sides tried to push forward as time ran out but chances were rare, the best perhaps again falling to Sutton when he got on the end of McNally's deep cross but could only head wide of the target.

Match report written by Dundee Matchday Programme