Hearts 1-0 Dundee: Report, player ratings, red card, Craig Halkett injury, Paulo Sergio and Gorgie Ultras

Hearts took another major step towards the Scottish Premiership title after Oisin McEntee’s header earned a 1-0 win over Dundee at Tynecastle Park. It was the Edinburgh club’s fourth successive home victory by that scoreline and keeps them ahead of Celtic and Rangers at the top of the table.

This was a tense and nervy afternoon, if the truth be told, but Hearts created enough chances to win the match more comfortably. They should have been in front by half-time and needed McEntee’s goal late in the day to secure another vital three points. A late red card for defender Frankie Kent was something they could have done without at a time when they were trying to see the game out. However, they held on for a priceless victory.

With Rangers playing Aberdeen on Saturday night and Celtic not in action until Sunday, Hearts moved five points clear at the top. Supporters released a deluge of relief and joy at full-time as another match was ticked off. If the rest are like this, it will take significant amount of courage to deal with the anxiety over the coming weeks.

Injuries to left-back Harry Milne and midfielder Tomas Magnusson forced Hearts to change their team from last week’s loss at Kilmarnock. Head coach Derek McInnes made four alterations in total as Jordi Altena, Frankie Kent, Cammy Devlin and McEntee all returned. Then he lost Craig Halkett less than an hour from kick-off, so Michael Steinwender was promoted from the substitutes’ bench to central defence alongside Kent. This was Foundation of Hearts Day at Tynecastle as Scottish Cup-winning manager Paulo Sergio returned to celebrate the occasion. The Gorgie Ultras also took up position on the streets to welcome players with chants and smoke bombs as they arrived in Gorgie around 1pm.

Title-race tension is building in both Glasgow and Edinburgh with Hearts kicking off the day two points clear at the top, pursued by Celtic and Rangers. This game saw plenty passing football as Dundee kept the ball on the ground, influenced by captain Ethan Hamilton in midfield. They got forward as often as their hosts during the opening exchanges. Hearts’ better attacks came down the right, where McEntee got forward from right-back and Altena passed fluently in front of him.

On 26 minutes, those in maroon build a superb flowing move to open up the Dundee defence. Claudio Braga drifted inside from the right, slid a pass through for Marc Leonard, who backheeled it into the advancing Portuguese’s path. Braga evaded a defender but, seemingly unsure whether to shoot or pass, poked the ball left rather than lash it towards goal. He didn’t have a team-mate in place to convert and the chance was wasted.

Landry Kabore’s glancing header from Alexandros Kyziridis’ cross bounced wide seven minutes later. Then came a much clearer chance for Hearts and Kabore after Braga flicked on goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow’s long kick. However, the Burkinabe striker lobbed the ball over the crossbar as Dundee keeper Jon McCracken emerged from his penalty box. The groans around Tynecastle at that point told their own story.

The roar around the ground which greeted Shankland’s return to action early in the second half also told a tale. Namely the one of the returning marksman as his team chased vital points in a title race. Blair Spittal was also introduced by McInnes, but all focus was on Shankland replacing Kabore. There was controversy near the hour mark after Hamilton fouled Hearts midfielder Marc Leonard and grappled with the on-loan Birmingham City player. Hamilton looked to have Leonard by the scruff of the neck before shoving him to the ground and must consider himself fortunate not to receive a red card for violent conduct.

Referee Don Robertson’s decisions angered the home support, which added to the anxiety with the scoreline still goalless. Hamilton committed another cynical foul by hauling Shankland to the ground moments later, but still Robertson refused to issue a caution. After Spittal rasped a shot off McCracken’s palms with 20 minutes remaining, Hearts fans appealed loudly for a penalty when Dundee defender Ryan Astley appeared to hold Kent’s shirt as the pair competed for a cross ball. Again, the shouts were in vain.

Hearts were now increasing pressure on the away side, playing much of the game in the Dundee half. They earned rewards for forcing the issue on 77 minutes. Leonard had grown in strength and hoisted a free-kick deep into the opposition box, where McEntee met it for a header McCracken couldn’t stop. After holding meetings to improve set-pieces earlier this week, it was a fitting way for Hearts to score the winning goal. Another roar, another big moment in this compelling league campaign.

Kent’s late dismissal for pulling down the Dundee substitute Charlie Reilly left the home team with 10 men. They hung on bravely to see out the game and take another step closer to a historic achievement. The Hearts player ratings from Tynecastle are below: