Hearts go nine points clear after swatting aside Dundee

Hearts returned to winning ways with an emphatic 4-0 win over Dundee at Tynecastle to move nine points clear at the top of the Premiership.

Goals from Lawrence Shankland and Landry Kabore in the space of seven first-half minutes had the hosts 2-0 up by the interval, with Kabore adding a second before substitute Tomas Magnusson bagged his first goal for the club.

The Jambos, who had been held by St Mirren in midweek, took advantage of second-placed Celtic’s involvement in Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup semi-final against Rangers to extend their lead at the top.

Hearts remain undefeated in 11 league games this season, while back-to-back defeats leave Dundee second-bottom of the pile.

Jambos boss Derek McInnes made three changes from their 2-2 draw with St Mirren, as Michael Steinwender, Blair Spittal and Kabore came in for Craig Halkett, Stephen Kingsley and Claudio Braga, all of whom were on the bench. Dundee made one change from the side that lost at Falkirk last weekend, as Billy Koumetio replaced Luke Graham.

Hearts’ Harry Milne was the first player to get a sight of goal after four minutes, but sent his low shot fizzing past the left post.

Spittal played a short corner to Milne on the right after 21 minutes, but his curling effort flew over the top left corner.

Cameron Congreve nearly opened the scoring for Dundee in 29th minute with a vicious, curling effort from about 25 yards that forced a terrific save from Alexander Schwolow to push it on to the left post.

But Hearts opened the scoring in the 31st minute when Milne sent a great ball into the box for Shankland to drill into the bottom right corner for his 10th goal of the season.

Hearts doubled their lead after 38 minutes when Milne’s corner from the left bounced around the box and fell to Kabore, who slammed into the net from close range for his first Hearts goal.

Kabore put Hearts 3-0 up in the 56th minute, following in with a slammed finish after Spittal’s shot cannoned off the crossbar and landed in his path.

Simon Murray thought he had pulled a goal back for Dundee in the 62nd minute, racing on to a through ball to net into the bottom left corner, only to be flagged offside.

Alex Kyziridis saw a 22-yard free-kick brilliantly saved by Jon McCracken in the 80th minute, but the same player took a corner that was knocked in by sub Magnusson to wrap up the points.

Braga neatly added a fifth inside stoppage time, but Dundee goalkeeper McCracken blocked well with his foot.