Simon Murray scoresImage source, SNS
Image caption,

Simon Murray has eight goals in his last eight league games

Highlights: Hearts 0-1 Dundee

26/04/25

Dundee boosted their Scottish Premiership survival hopes with a slender but deserved victory over Hearts in what proved to be Neil Critchley's final game in charge of the Tynecastle club.

Simon Murray's goal, his 21st of the season, pushed Dundee up to 10th in the division and two points clear of Ross County, who lost at Kilmarnock.

And it also spelled the end for Critchley after six months in the job, his Hearts side having been jeered from the pitch at both half time and full time.

On the back of a Scottish Cup semi-final loss last weekend, Hearts created some good first-half chances but looked completely toothless.

Dundee had openings themselves, with Ryan Astley and Seb Palmer-Houlden passing up good opportunities before Murray struck.

A cross from the left fell nicely to the striker and he was able to guide the ball into the back of the net, through the legs of Frankie Kent on the line.

Hearts hit a post through a deflected Cammy Devlin effort, and Elton Kabangu put one straight at the goalkeeper from six yards out when he really should have scored.

They did have the ball in the back of the net in stoppage time, when Alan Forrest turned in at the back post. However, Craig Gordon - up from the back - had fouled Trevor Carson in the build up.

Hearts are now goalless in their past four league games and slip to eighth in the league, just five points above 11th-placed County.

Dundee punching way out of trouble

Tony Docherty's side had a game plan and executed it to perfection. Absorb the Hearts attack, sting them on the counter.

It almost paid off a few times, before Murray's simple strike.

The striker is the kind of talisman that inspires team-mates. He fights for every ball, noises up fans, and pesters defenders. The kind of player every fan wants.

At the back, the return of Joe Shaughnessy has been heralded and he's been helped by Clark Robertson. Trevor Carson, who has been in and out of the team so often this season, also stood up when it counted.

The old guard are providing Dundee with just the experience they need to steer them to safety.

Critchley under microscope at Hearts

If any Hearts fans - and Critchley - had forgotten the relegation fears of earlier in the season, they were rudely reminded here.

While their side dominated possession, it was always Dundee who wanted it more.

Some would argue that was surprising, given the fight that Hearts showed at Hampden just seven days ago. That same courage was not apparent this week.

The only creativity came from left-back James Penrice - who was too often forced to stay back because of the lack of protection in front of him.

Kabangu's form, similar to Lawrence Shankland who was missing through injury, has nosedived and the striker should have had a far bigger impact.

The lack of wide options, or quality in wide areas, has been badly exposed and the fact Critchley seemingly did not have the answers must have played into the decision to relive him of his duties.

Blair Spittal and Sander Kartum, deployed wide of Jorge Grant, are more suited to central roles. The only proper wide option on the bench, Alan Forrest, isn't fancied.

Critchley inherited an imbalanced squad. Instead of addressing that in January, he tipped the scales further.

What they said

Media caption,

Critchley's final interview as Hearts' head coach

Hearts head coach Neil Critchley: "We must respond to this. We're in a fight and we have to show the right level of fight. I don't think it was lack of effort today. From the halfway line, we lacked quality in our decision making.

"I understand the frustration when we don't score at home and get beat. I'm comfortable with [the expectation]. I believe that I'm the man to get us out of this situation and move the club forward in the future."

Dundee manager Tony Docherty: "Huge credit to the players, I'm absolutely delighted with the endeavour they showed, the intelligence and work rate they showed. You saw a team with a real team ethic there.

"We executed that game plan to the letter and I couldn't be more proud of them, putting in that level of performance. It's been a tough two weeks, we let our standards drop against Hibs."