Source: Team_Talk
Houston happy with three points
Dundee United boss Peter Houston felt his side were fully deserving of their 1-0 win over Hearts at Tynecastle on Sunday.[LNB] David Goodwillie was missing after United agreed a fee with Blackburn for the 22-year-old, but the visitors put the potential departure of their talisman behind them when Jon Daly nodded in Willo Flood's 38th-minute corner.[LNB]In a riveting contest between the teams who finished third and fourth in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League last term, John Rankin had earlier hit the bar with a free-kick for United after being brought down on the edge of the box as the visitors showed they are more than a one-man team and there will be life after Goodwillie.[LNB]Houston, who made the decision on Friday not to play Goodwillie, said: "I always knew we were going to get a tough game here at Tynecastle and it was a tough game.[LNB]"In the first half there were spells when we had to survive some good pressure from Hearts.[LNB]"When you look at it, we had good chances in the first half - possibly a penalty, we hit the bar, Jon Daly brought a world-class save from their goalkeeper and we scored a goal.[LNB]"When you come to Tynecastle sometimes in 90 minutes you don't create as many chances.[LNB]"I don't think Dusan Pernis had an awful lot of saves to make.[LNB]"It was a hard-fought three points, but I thought fully merited."[LNB]Daly had a volley saved by Hearts goalkeeper Marian Kello before converting a free header from the following corner when his marker, home captain Marius Zaliukas, was caught napping.[LNB]Hearts had a number of opportunities themselves, with Stephen Elliott and David Templeton going close.[LNB]The hosts, though, perhaps paid the price for their Europa League qualifying excursion in midweek, where they drew 1-1 with Paks.[LNB]Manager Jim Jefferies refused to use the Hungary trip as an excuse.[LNB]"Later in the game we looked a bit heavy legged," said Jefferies.[LNB]"But that's no excuse - I thought we did enough in the first half certainly to warrant not being 1-0 down.[LNB]"The big disappointment of the first half was for them to score such an easy goal from a routine set play.[LNB]"You can't give Jon Daly that kind of room and expect to get away with it.[LNB]"Overall we were pushing forward, but they defended very, very well.[LNB]"We weren't that bad it's just the result didn't go in our favour.[LNB]"I thought a draw would've been a fairer result."[LNB]Rudi Skacel returned from injury off the substitutes' bench and is poised to agree a contract extension, with his deal set to expire shortly.[LNB]"He's in talks tomorrow to get it sorted out," added Jefferies.
