Premiership
Lennon’s Celts held at home as Aberdeen prove a point
HEARTS boss Craig Levein watched unstoppable Uche Ikpeazu terrorise Dundee’s helpless defence — then claimed the fans’ favourite is being given a raw deal for his sheer physicality.
The towering Tynecastle striker was almost unplayable at times in yesterday’s hard-fought win at Dens Park where he was often the target of a home side who hunted in packs in a desperate effort to tame the bustling 6ft 3in forward.
Ikpeazu, who earlier this week signed a new deal to extend his stay in Edinburgh until 2022, cut a mean figure as he led the line with a combination of power and pace which left the Dark Blues with little answer to his overall prowess.
Levein savoured victory courtesy of Sean Clare’s decisive 15th-minute winner but still believes team-mate Ikpeazu, who joined Hearts less than a year ago, is being unfairly dealt with because of his overwhelming size.
Levein, whose side are preparing to host Partick Thistle in Tuesday’s Scottish Cup quarter-final replay at Tynecastle, said: ‘I keep saying the same thing after every game.
‘There was one situation near the end when there were three players holding on to Uche and he still doesn’t get a free-kick.
‘I just don’t understand that. Just because you’re stronger than somebody else, it shouldn’t mean you get penalised because of that.
‘He seems to get fouls given against him for things I just can’t fathom for the life of me.
‘This was never going to be a classic. It was windy and we had to change our approach numerous times during the game to adapt.
‘This should give us confidence. When you win ugly, sometimes it can give you more confidence than when you actually play well.
‘I’m pleased with the fact we didn’t play particularly well and still won.
‘We’re not quite in the top six yet but we’re almost there. We’ve got a game on Tuesday now against Partick in the cup when we’ll be favourites which is a different type of test, but things are looking good.’
After back-to-back defeats against Hibs and Rangers, Jim McIntyre’s Dark Blues were determined to stop the rot only to shoot themselves in the foot by gifting Clare the only goal of the game.
Now the toiling Taysiders, who remain just one point above bottom club St Mirren, could fall down to the foot of the table should Saints beat Kilmarnock tomorrow night.
McIntyre’s men must lift themselves for next Sunday’s visit of Celtic in their battle to beat the drop, and can ill afford more such sloppy defending when Neil Lennon’s side roll up for their televised St Patrick’s Day fixture.
Dundee were looking to emulate their 2-1 win at Tynecastle in January, while their opponents arrived on Tayside in the wake of a lacklustre 1-1 Scottish Cup quarterfinal draw with Championship side Thistle earlier in the week.
The hosts were without former Sunderland striker Andrew Nelson, who hit the winner in Edinburgh the last time the sides met, due to a heel injury. Their bright start, with Kenny Miller looking lively in attack, counted for nothing though as Hearts took an early lead.
Dundee’s defence failed to clear and left Clare with the simple task of poking the ball through the legs of Seny Dieng from a few yards.
It was a comedy of errors from the home team, although Miller did see his 17th-minute low shot saved by Zdenek Zlamal.
At the other end, Callumn Morrison threatened to increase the visitors’ lead and his 25-yard effort was just tipped away by Dieng to safety.
Hearts made their first change in 66 minutes when former Dundee forward Craig Wighton replaced David Vanecek, and he received some jeers from the home crowd.
Soon after, Peter Haring forced the ball forward into the path of Ikpeazu whose low effort was gathered by Dieng.
With 10 minutes left, Clare surged down the left and his cross was turned behind by Nathan Ralph for a corner as Hearts tried to play out time, before Zlamal produced a stunning save to seal victory as he denied Miller’s 84th-minute header.
Dundee manager McIntyre said: ‘It’s hard to be critical because the goal was so scrappy. It’s not as though they cut us open.
‘We don’t stop the cross. We have got men in place but it’s an old-fashioned stramash.
‘Hearts are a hard team to play against and I felt we defended far better than we have in the past couple of games.
‘Their keeper was there to make a really big save from Kenny when he needed to right at the end.
‘But I’m just really disappointed because it’s another game when I felt we should have taken at least a point for our efforts.
‘We had a brilliant result against them at Tynecastle not that long ago but we have to do the same here at Dens.’