The Scottish Premiership title race continues

Fifteen minutes to reorganise in a room heaving with bodies, sweat, condensation and emotion. Derek McInnes knew his half-time team-talk at Dens Park had to be concise and impactful. Hearts were 1-0 ahead but reduced to 10 men with goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow sent off moments earlier, so McInnes needed to impart instructions and a gameplan for the second half. It is in these moments that a football manager properly earns his wages.

Craig Gordon had replaced Schwolow in goal with goalscorer Claudio Braga sacrificed just before half-time. During the interval, McInnes swapped the attack-minded right-back Jordi Altena for Michael Steinwender’s more defensive tendencies. While Gordon went through a warm-up outside with Hearts goalkeeping coach Paul Gallacher, inside a new structure was being devised by coaches McInnes, Paul Sheerin and Alan Archibald.

The visitors adopted a 4-4-1 shape, with Lawrence Shankland the lone striker. Midfielders were asked to use energy reserves to support him during attacks. Then, whenever Dundee introduced substitute striker Simon Murray, Hearts would combat that by bringing Frankie Kent on. Stringing five central defenders across the back line might be considered unusual. McInnes considered in necessary.

Dundee’s plethora of crosses were repelled by a combination of Steinwender, Kent, Craig Halkett, Stuart Findlay and Jamie McCart. Gordon claimed the most heroic moment of all with a stunning stoppage-time save to stop Emile Acquah heading a certain equaliser. The 43-year-old made his first Hearts appearance of the season count, and the final whistle confirmed the gameplan had worked. Dundee’s second-half onslaught was stifled and Hearts left Dens with a priceless - perhaps pivotal - victory.

McInnes revealed his thinking to the Edinburgh News, and in particular what happened during half-time. “I didn't really need to address the goalkeeping situation. We just sent Craig out to do some work with Paul Gallacher to get him ready,” he explained. “I'm fortunate we can call upon his experience so it wasn't going to faze him. There wouldn't be any nerves. Naturally, when you are sitting and not playing many games, it's tough. You saw how Craig played for Scotland [last November] and I think we are fortunate to have someone who has that experience but also the ability to pull off saves like he did.

“I always like to work with goalkeepers who make the saves I expect them to make. For me, that would be enough. As long as they don't make mistakes, as long as they do the fundamentals. Craig has always been a keeper who does that and a bit more. I think he will be making that save from Acquah for as long as he wants. With his stature, he's huge in the goal. His reactions are magnificent and we needed them on Sunday.

“Up until then, I thought we were comfortable. We defended our box. When Dundee went with four forwards - two wingers and two strikers - there are questions to be asked. We told Frankie Kent to be ready as soon as Simon Murray was going on. At that point, we would be going to a three-man central defence. We always wanted that extra header in there, and we asked the midfield three to flatten out to make sure there were no overloads on the sides.

“Cammy Devlin and Tomas Magnusson on the outside were always across helping defenders - McCart and Findlay on the left, and Steinwender and Kent on the right. Beni just went side to side all the time and we had Landry Kabore just trying to be something up front to give us an out ball. He tried to run in behind or buy us fouls further forward.”

There was a collective desire during the interval to ensure Hearts left Tayside with three points using whatever means necessary. McInnes detailed some of his message to the players. “At half-time, we spoke about having something to hang on to thanks to Claudio's goal. That was a brilliant finish which shouldn't be forgotten,” he stressed. “We spoke about the fact that, in this situation, it's about that real reliance on each other: 'Nobody can just play their own game. Everybody has an obligation and there is a consequence to every decision you make. Everybody has to give one and a half performances.'

“They all had to do their own jobs and a bit more. That's what we got. We didn't need to carry a threat. We could maybe have got a wee bit more from set-players but we didn't need to go and chase a second goal when you defend as well as that. The pivotal moment that everybody will remember is Craig's save, which was so welcome to see. That header beats the majority of keepers. Everybody talks about our dressing room. The lads in interviews talk about the best dressing room they've been involved in and all the rest of it. On days like Sunday, that's when the spirit and togetherness really comes out. You see that togetherness.”

The manager cited Gordon and McCart as two perfect examples. Both have been peripheral figures all season. Gordon hadn’t taken the field for Hearts, while McCart had managed six substitute appearances. When needed, they answered the call emphatically. “Craig is ready because he's got the motivation to get up every morning and be ready to throw himself about a training ground after everything he's done in football,” McInnes pointed out.

“Jamie McCart needs special mention, I think, because he trains properly. And because he trains properly, he's ready to play the way he did on Sunday. He played left-back, a position that isn't his first position, but he more than adapted to the situation. Our full-backs were against good wingers who have done well for Dundee in recent weeks. We were first-class.”

Title rivals watching Hearts might have expected them to drop points playing an entire half with a numerical disadvantage. They were up against the odds and facing big questions asked of them. Every one was answered. “For all those reasons, it feels like the best three points of the season,” reiterated McInnes. “We're up against a Dundee team who have been doing well, we're playing on a heavy pitch, we're down to 10 men, and the question was asked of us. Up until Craig's brilliant save, I thought we were relatively comfortable. We just wanted that clock to run down quickly.”

The manager reserved special mention for more than 4,000 Hearts fans who packed into Dens Park. “The fans were brilliant. I've spoken to you about this before, how good our away record is. There are lots of reasons for it. The motivation to get every three points is vital but the fans help with that. They turn up on a rotten day. Lots of them could have decided not to bother. To see it rammed like it was and as loud as it was, I thank them for that. The players responded to it, no doubt.”