Dundee United cleared another hurdle before Hampden as they fought out a goalless draw at Tynecastle, in a game where they seemed as concerned with avoiding injuries as they were with a win.
The Tangerines now have only the final home SPL game of the campaign against Hibs on Sunday before they can fully focus on the Active Nation Scottish Cup final against Ross County the following Saturday.
With Hearts harbouring pre-match hopes of catching either Motherwell or Hibs, who fought out a crazy 6-6 draw at Fir Park, this looked a tricky one on paper for the Tannadice team.
United had nothing really to gain, other than game time for players and everything to lose as regards possible injuries to key men.
There must have been worried looks exchanged between the travelling supporters when captain Andy Webster did not reappear after half-time, but those concerns were eased by manager Peter Houston.
“Webby is all right and I took him off just as a precaution,” said Houston. “He wanted to go back out but I decided against it. He has had a problem with nerves going down from his back into his calf so we played safe.”
Reflecting on the 90 minutes, the United gaffer added, “It was a hard-earned draw. I thought we had the better chances in the first half and a wee bit better quality when going forward in the second half might have won us the match.”
Tynecastle boss Jim Jefferies added, “United don’t lose many goals and are a big and strong side at the back. We just didn’t have the craft to break them down.”
Houston chose to change things again but the line-up was arguably stronger than those that faced the Old Firm in the two previous games.
Back in came skipper Webster, Craig Conway, Jon Daly and David Goodwillie, while Dusan Pernis was rested and former Hearts goalie Stevie Banks took the gloves to make his first league start for United.
The hosts were minus three men who featured in the Edinburgh derby win over Hibs on Saturday Laryea Kingston, David Obua and Gary Glen with the last mentioned making it on to the bench.
With Wolves boss Mick McCarthy and Middlesbrough scout Gordon McQueen looking on from the stand, the Tangerines had a good chance on four minutes but Daly seemed to be caught by surprise when a Conway free-kick made it through to him.
Lee Wallace then went on the attack for the Jam Tarts on 13 minutes, tearing up the left flank. However, there were no takers as his low ball zipped across goal.
With 22 minutes on the clock, the visitors almost took the lead when a Conway corner was met by the head of Kenneth. It looked goalbound but keeper Jamie MacDonald scrambled the ball away for a corner.
Conway’s set-pieces were bothering Hearts and he laid another one on the head of Daly in the 33rd minute only for the ball to be deflected a foot wide of the far post.
Conway was enjoying himself and raced into the Hearts box before tangling with Eggert Jonsson. The United man felt he was fouled but still managed to get a shot in, although it was blocked.
“Craig is an honest lad and wanted to score but had he gone down he might have got a penalty,” said Houston.
United had the ball in the net five minutes before the break when yet another Conway ball was nodded home by Webster.
However, referee Stephen Finnie ruled he had pushed Ismael Bouzid.Webster didn’t come out for the second half and was replaced by Danny Swanson, Sean Dillon moving to central defence and David Robertson assuming the left-back role.
Hearts had a penalty claim of their own five minutes into the half when Calum Elliot tumbled to the ground and the striker made sure ref Finnie knew he wasn’t happy.
United took Goodwillie off and on came Andis Shala as the hour neared, before Banks came to his team’s rescue by diving to push away a great shot from David Templeton.
Hearts were having a good spell and Ryan Stevenson had a 25-yard strike that just cleared the visitors’ bar, then Conway hit back with a free-kick that MacDonald did well to catch.
Jeno Myrie-Williams got his chance to impress on 73 minutes, replacing Scott Robertson, and the winger seemed to have picked out Buaben with a cross five minutes later but the Ghanian midfielder missed the ball completely.
Buaben was back in the good books, though, when he fired in a dangerous free-kick to the back post that was nodded by Kenneth to Daly but the Irishman could not direct it in.
With Hearts players piling forward in the final minutes, United nearly punished them with a break. It was three on one for the Tangerines as Conway raced upfield. He played in Myrie-Williams, who gave him the ball back.
Despite having a clear sight on goal, however, Conway’s shot was comfortably held by McDonald. Conway flew up the park again but this time his shot was blocked before the final whistle blew.
Attendance 12,325.