Jackie McNamara felt Dundee United should have killed the game off earlier after they held on for a 2-1 win against Hearts at Tynecastle. Brian Graham put United ahead in the first half and Nadir Ciftci added a superb second after the break, but Danny Wilson's late goal set up a tense finish at Tynecastle. The hosts slipped closer to relegation after failing to score an equaliser, while United moved within four points of third-placed Motherwell.
Brian Graham celebrates in the rain (c) Eddie Linton | SportPix.org.uk
McNamara said: "I'm delighted with the three points and I thought we could have got more goals. We could have finished the game a lot earlier. We had some good opportunities and took the wrong option at times. But this is a hard place to go." Ciftci netted his 14th goal of the season with a ferocious shot and he believed United fully deserved the three points. He said: "We kept going forward, it was hard for us, but I think we deserved it. We had a lot of good chances but we did well and deserved to win the game. We have to give them some credit. I went out there and do with a smile on my face. I am enjoying my football."
Hearts manager Gary Locke refuses to give up hope, despite the club's desperate position, and could not fault the effort of his players. He said: "They have given us everything but we are lacking a bit of experience. We just have to keep working hard and try and get a couple of victories before the end of the season."