Dundee vs Hearts. Scottish Premiership.
The Scot Foam Stadium at Dens ParkAttendance7,506.
Match report as Hearts overcame Dundee 3-2 at Dens Park; Lawrence Shankland scored a late double to earn the Scottish Premiership victory; Jordan McGhee and Lyall Cameron gave Dundee two leads in the game, while Alan Forrest equalised for the Jam Tarts
Saturday 3 February 2024 20:45, UK
Lawrence Shankland was the Hearts hero with two late goals in a five-goal thriller against Dundee at Dens Park.
It was the second time in 11 days that the Jam Tarts had beaten the Dark Blues 3-2, and it extended their cinch Premiership unbeaten run to eight games.
The home side opened the scoring in the first half through Jordan McGhee before Hearts equalised after the break with an Alan Forrest goal.
The Dark Blues took the lead once more with a stunning strike from Lyall Cameron but Hearts secured all three points with two goals by their talismanic skipper.
The visitors came close to breaking the deadlock in the 22nd minute when Shankland hit a shot on the turn inside the Dundee box which clipped the outside of home keeper Trevor Carson's right-hand post.
Dundee responded immediately with Luke McCowan bursting down the left before sending an inviting cross into the Hearts box but Amadou Bakayoko could only direct his shot at Jam Tarts keeper Zander Clark who made a comfortable save.
However, it was the home side who finally made the breakthrough in the 26th minute when McCowan fired in another pinpoint cross with McGhee heading past Clark.
Dundee came close to doubling their advantage shortly after with Shankland having to clear a Michael Mellon flick off his own line.
The Dark Blues were quickly out of the blocks at the start of the second half with Owen Beck finding Lee Ashcroft six yards out with a free-kick but the centre-half fired well over the bar.
However, there was another goal in the 55th minute - and it was the Jam Tarts who scored it thanks to a moment of magic from Shankland.
The Scotland striker spun on the edge of the Dundee box, taking two defenders out of the game before teeing up Forrest who made no mistake firing past Carson.
Hearts were level for just four minutes before Dundee stormed into the lead again with Cameron sending a rocket from the edge of the box flying past Clark.
However, Hearts equalised once more in the 79th minute. Referee Graham Grainger judged that Ashcroft had handled a Shankland shot and pointed to the spot.
The striker, who had missed his three previous penalties, stepped up and although Carson managed to get a hand to the spot-kick he could not keep it out.
Dundee substitute Zach Robinson then passed up a gilt-edged opportunity when he headed wide with the goal at his mercy.
Shankland though made no mistake in the 87th minute when he latched onto a ball from Kenneth Vargas before sending a shot past Carson with another clinical finish.
Dundee's Tony Docherty: "I would love to come in after a game and talk about my team and how good they've been, But it seems to be the last five weeks all you do is talk about decisions.
"I just spoke to big Ash there, who is the most honest boy you could meet. What are you meant to do there?
"Are you meant to cut off a body part? What are you meant to do when you are a yard away from the player and it hits you.
"It was such a pivotal point in the game. We had gone from 1-1 to score a wonderful goal to go 2-1 up and I thought we were comfortable.
"Hearts are a really good side with a top striker in Lawrence Shankland. I thought we were handling it well but it was just that moment in the game that changed everything.
"Why doesn't he go and check it? I don't understand. He's told me: 'Had I seen it again...' Why did you not go and see it again?
"We have invested as an industry and a football club in a piece of apparatus there that you can go and check. Yet you don't do that. It is just galling for me."
Hearts' Steven Naismith: "He is a top striker (Hearts frontman Lawrence Shankland).
"He is somebody who we know is really important and that's why we wanted to tie him down to a longer contract, that's why we want him to be here as long as possible.
"A big bit of pressure on his penalty but again he shows his quality."
Dundee's next Scottish Premiership match is away to St Mirren on Wednesday night, while Hearts travel to St Johnstone.
Both games kick off at 7.45pm.
