Classic match: Dundee Utd 0 Hearts 3, April 12, 1986

Some 7000 Hearts fans were in the near-capacity crowd for this extremely vital match between the two front-runners in the championship.

While Hearts had extended their unbeaten run to 28 matches by beating United the previous Saturday for a place in the Scottish Cup final, the home side had gone 28 games without losing a league match on their own ground.

George Cowie was back in Hearts team after a long absence as the replacement for suspended skipper Walter Kidd, and that was the only change.

Hearts went into the game with considerable confidence, having won two and drawn two of the four matches between the sides this season.

There was no doubt that the Dundee men were geared up for a major effort and John Holt bored his way into the penalty box to hit a right-foot shot past Henry Smith's right-hand post.

Then there was a modest claim for a penalty for United when Brian Whittaker blocked a try by Paul Hegarty but referee Kenny Hope was right to disregard them

Hearts were nervous at the back and failing to use the ball to advantage in clearing their lines.

A shot by John Colquhoun went trundling past but Hearts got little little respite and a first-time shot by Sturrock flew dangerously close to the target

After a Stuart Beedie drive had been deflected safely into the hands of Smith, Hearts suddenly stormed away to take the lead in 23 minutes.

Hegarty nodded out a cross from Levein straight to John Robertson, who unleashed a terrific left-foot drive from 20 yards to leave Billy Thomson helpless.

United must have wondered what they had to do to master the opposition, who could score goals out of nothing, after they had applied so much pressure.

Hearts were a more composed outfit with a goal in the bag and good work by Whittaker and Clark allowed Gary Mackay some space on the edge of the United box but he was a shade slow to move and was crowded out by defenders.

United were frustrated as Hearts consistently pushed them back and the Tynecastle defenders were coping quite comfortably with anything thrown at them.

Hearts started well after half-time but United were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area after a duel between Sandy Jardine and Paul Sturrock.

Eamonn Bannon struck a weak free-kick, which rebounded from the wall to M
alpas, who struck a perfect right-footer that brought a remarkable save from Smith, diving quickly to his right.

As the tenson rose, referee Hope had to stop play to lecture Hearts' Alex Macdonald and United's assistant manager Walter Smith for their touchline conduct.

Maurice Malpas kept United in the game with a goal-line save from Clark, but Hearts were not to be denied their second goal, which came in 58 minutes.

Neil Berry crossed from the right to the far post, and Colquhoun nodded the ball down for Clark to prod over the line.

With 66 minutes gone Hearts rubbed in their superiority with a classic third goal.

Colquhoun pushed the ball forward for Robertson, who dribbled past Thomson to slip a right-footer into the empty net.

Although the season ended in heartache, this game was a magic moment – going away from home and thrashing the second-top side in the table.

Taken from the Scotsman