To a fan watching United, perhaps for the first time since Craig Brewster became manager, however, it was immediately noticeable that each had an awareness of his designated area of patrol and they would desert it under pain of death. This regimentation contrasted with what appeared to be a more improvisational approach from Hearts, although the comparative looseness of the Tynecastle side may have been explained by a certain unfamiliarity. Among the six changes in the team that beat Aberdeen in the Tennent’s Scottish Cup on Saturday, the Slovakian right-back, Martin Petras, and the Czech midfielder, Ludek Straceny, made their debuts. There was also the returns of left-back Takis Fyssas and midfielder Rudi Skacel after they missed the 3-0 victory over the Dons through illness.
Christophe Berra was restored to central defence which left Pressley without his usual partners, Robbie Neilson and Andy Webster – both on the bench – and the probing David Fernandez had caused one or two alarms before the goal from Brebner that gave the home side the lead.
Had Gordon Strachan been present, he may have been tempted to rescind the decision to send Charlie Mulgrew to Tannadice on loan until the end of the season. The big left-back had already done an impressive piece of work on the left – a quick jink and a wickedly-delivered cross – before repeating the trick to set up Brebner.
Mulgrew once again made tracks towards the dead-ball line on the left and his whipped cross took out Craig Gordon, allowing for Hibs midfielder Brebner to bore, almost in a crouch, between two defenders and head the ball over the line from about three yards’ range.
In truth, neither side had been overly-impressive throughout a largely uninspired first half, but, in the circumstances, Hearts would be the more disappointing. Despite attempts to try to play a controlled, skilful game from middle to front, there was nothing incisive about their ball work in either area, reducing authentic scoring chances to virtually nothing.
Their most promising move had come from Fyssas, who supplied Hartley with a through pass on the left side of the penalty area.
The midfielder gathered the ball and turned smartly on to his right foot, but the shot was deflected for a corner kick by the alert David McCracken.
It may have been frustration at losing Mulgrew at the goal which led to the lunge on Robson from Petras which brought the full-back a caution, but there was no excuse for referee Dougie McDonald’s refusal to book Fyssas, and on two occasions.
The Greek could easily have been sent off for cumulative punishments when he perpetrated a late and very dangerous tackle on Brebner – this before the United goal – and, later, when he climbed all over Collin Samuel at the half-way line, preventing the United striker from breaking quite unchallenged into the deserted Hearts half of the field.
As Petras became increasingly unreliable on what proved to be a wretched first appearance, the substantial Hearts support – around 3,000 travelled – began the chant of ‘There’s only one Robbie Neilson.’
The deposed full-back’s summons from the bench within a few minutes, however, would have less to do with complying with the fans’ wishes than it would the potentially devastating error he made just a minute before.
It was from a corner kick by Robson that Petras completely lost Samuel at the far post and it was only the United’s poor attempt at converting the opportunity – slicing the ball high – that saved him from embarrassment.
Alan Archibald on the penalty.
Craig Brewster’s view of the performance.
‘Over all I was delighted with the performance. We had to be strong and aggressive because that is agood Hearts side.
‘I thought the work rate of the boys was immense right from the start and that’s how we can progress if we keep that up.
Brewster dissapointed by Robson’s sending off!
‘The biggest disappointment for me was the sending off of Barry Robson.
‘There was no malice intended. Barry had just knocked the ball in front of him and in trying to retrieve it he stood on Elvis.
‘For the referee to show a straight red card was extremely harsh in my view. As for the penalty, the incident happened about 10 yards away from the actual ball.
Alan Archibald on the penalty.
‘I thought it was harsh. I just went up for the ball as normal and the referee gave the penalty.
‘Steven just walked away and it was so disappointing to lose a goal at that time.
‘I thought we played well and were looking for a win up until that point.
‘Derek Stillie didn’t have too many saves to make so it’s just hard to take when something like that happens.’
