Hearts 3 - 0 Dundee Utd

HEARTS secured third spot in this season's SPL and a place in the Europa League next term thanks to a much-improved performance against their nearest rivals at Tynecastle today.

Shaking off the lethargy that had seen them stutter somewhat in recent weeks, Csaba Laszlo's men were worthy winners after taking the game by the scruff of the neck through goals from Lee Wallace and Bruno Aguiar inside the opening 26 minutes.

And, to the delight of their fans in what was the final home game of the season, Hearts wrapped up the points when Eggert Jonsson added a third from the penalty spot in the second-half.

Hearts made two changes from the side that drew 0-0 at Pittodrie, Christos Karipidis, making his last appearance at Tynecastle, coming in at the back for the suspended Marius Zaliukas and the fit again Ruben Palazuelos replacing Laryea kingston.

The home side took just three minutes to carve out the game's first opening - and it should have seen them take the lead.

Wallace left three players in his wake as he burst into the box before cutting the ball back into the path of Bruno Aguiar but he shot straight at Lukasz Zaluska from ten yards out.

Desperate to see a much better display than in the derby defeat ten days earlier, that gave the home support something to shout about right away and they were on their feet again three minutes later when David Obua threatened at the back post, the striker's shot being deflected behind for a corner.

Hearts' positive start to the game earned a deserved reward in the tenth minute as they ended a goall drought that had stretched back to the middle of April.

The ball was played into the feet of Adrian Mrowiec and he laid it off to the marauding Wallace, whose willingness to get forward paid off as he steadied himself to drill a low shot past Zaluska.

It was the defender's second goal of the season - he was on target in the 1-1 draw with Aberdeen back in October - and it settled the nerves of the home players and fans on what could have proved a twitchy afternoon.

Marian Kello did well to palm away one dangerous cross from the right before David Goodwillie was lucky to escape a booking for going down far too easily when he was challenged just inside the box by Jonsson.

Seconds after that, Hearts went 2-0 in front when Aguiar grabbed his seventh goal of the season, sending Tynecastle wild with delight in the process.

Calum Elliot was the creator on this occasion, the young striker doing well to get space on the right side of the box before squaring the ball into the danger area, where Aguiar reacted quicker that the United defence as he buried a shot into the back of the net.

Unhappy with the events in the opening half hour, Craig Levein put on Paul Caddis for Sean Dillon before slack play at the back by Hearts allowed David Robertson to send in a shot that should, at the very least, have forced a save from Kello instead of flying harmlessly over the bar.

Unlike Goodwillie earlier in the game, Francesco Sandaza earned a booking for taking what referee Brian Winter deemed to be a dive as United sought the goal before the break that would have given them a much-needed lifeline.

Hearts started the second-half brightly and warm applause reverberated around the ground after the two first-half goalscorers, Aguiar and Wallace, combined to threaten the United goal again.

Aguiar left two United players for dead with a great piece of skill on the halfway line, fed Wallace, who sent over a great cross that would have found Elliot but for a timely interception by Kenneth.

In a last throw of the dice, Levein made a double substitution just after the hour mark, Sandaza and Robertson making way for Andis Shala and Danny Swanson.

But Hearts coontinued to look the more dangerous team in open play, Wallace blasting over from the edge of the box after being picked out by the impressive Aguiar.

To their credit, the visitors kept plugging away and Kello did well to tip away a dangerous cross from Kenneth after he'd popped up on the left wing.

But Hearts ensured there would be no way back for United with just ten minutes to go, Eggert Jonsson making no mistake from the spot after Elliot had been tripped in the box by Paul Dixon.

Hearts: Kello, Neilson, Wallace, Karipidis, Palazuelos, Aguiar, Mrowiec, Jonsson, Elliot, M Stewart, Obua. Subs: Balogh, Nade, Tullberg, Thomson, Templeton, J. Stewart, Nivikovas.

Dundee Utd: Zaluska, Dillon, Wilkie, Sandaza, D Robertson, Conway, Gomis, Kenneth, Dixon, Bauben, Goodwillie. Subs: McGovern, Caddis, S Robertson, Swanson, Grainger, Dods, Shala.
Referee: Brian Winter.