Source: team_talk
McGlynn hails Hearts' turnaround
John McGlynn praised Hearts' players for learning from their mistakes after they recorded their first win since the opening day of the season.
Hearts took the initiative after converted striker Callum Paterson fired home from 20 yards in the 28th minute to send them on their way to a 3-0 SPL win over Dundee United at Tannadice on Saturday.
Arvydas Novikovas wrong-footed Radoslav Cierzniak with a swerving effort from 25 yards three minutes later and, although United briefly rallied either side of the break with Gavin Gunning heading against the bar, the hosts looked well beaten after 17-year-old Paterson doubled his career tally following Sean Dillon's slack backpass.
Hearts had lost consecutive matches against Dundee and St Mirren but it was more positive games that McGlynn urged his side to learn from at half-time.
Hearts laboured in the second half against 10-man St Johnstone on the opening day and threw away a 2-0 lead to draw with Inverness at home and McGlynn was delighted with the way they killed off the game this time.
United, with a half-fit Jon Daly off the bench, did not create a serious chance in the last half-hour and substitute John Sutton missed a good chance to extend the visitors' lead.
McGlynn said: "I felt the double whammy of the two goals in a couple of minutes gave us mountains of confidence. "I remembered when we were ahead against St Johnstone and Inverness and the second halves of those matches were very difficult so we made sure we didn't throw too many bodies forward and played sensibly."
United manager Peter Houston felt his side should have had a penalty with the game goalless when Willo Flood went down after a collision with Ryan Stevenson but he admitted his team were too "soft-centred".
United had Flood and John Rankin in central midfield with youngsters Ryan Dow and Stuart Armstrong on the flanks and Houston felt his players lost the physical battle.
"Apart from Willo Flood none of our players put in enough tackles," Houston said.
"We certainly didn't win enough tackles.
"We have got to make sure we dig in and start winning tackles and give each other and the fans a lift.
"I felt we were second to a lot of balls."
United again lacked the creative influence of knee injury victim Gary Mackay-Steven as they extended their run without scoring to three games, but Houston was more disappointed with his team's defending.
"The first goal was a poor clearance to the edge of the box and the boy gets a free shot at goal," he said.
"The second goal we gave the ball away and Novikovas had the ball for four or five seconds without a challenge.
"That gave us a mountain to climb and on the day we weren't good enough to climb it.
"If we could have got the third goal the game would have changed and I brought Jon Daly on even though he was only fit for 20 minutes.
"But the third goal was suicidal defending and it killed the game and the atmosphere."
