How Stephen Humphrys summoned Hearts Champions League noise as Dundee United prove relegation battle mettle

Sometimes one moment can change the whole complexion of a game. Hearts were holding onto a 2-1 lead against ten-man Dundee United. The visitors had been excellent for large periods, the hosts the opposite with the home support expressing their displeasure during the first half.

Stephen Humphrys scored a wonder goal for Hearts in the win over Dundee United. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)

As home fans considered their appraisal of the match, it would have been about the underwhelming performance but scraping out what could prove to be a vital three points. Then Stephen Humphrys produced the goal of the season. One of the best goals the modern-day Tynecastle Park has ever seen. The best many have witnessed in the flesh full stop. Picking up the ball on the edge of his own box, he beat two men before sending the perfect chip – if it can even be regarded as such – over Mark Birighitti from more than 50 yards from inside the centre circle.

The noise which greeted it was up there with the one produced by the stadium when Paul Hartley found the net from the penalty spot against Aberdeen to secure second place and a Champions League qualifying place in 2006. Such was the concoction of shock and delight.

Having missed the Rangers loss through illness, Humphrys started on the bench. His introduction at half-time was inevitable. Hearts needed inspiration and energy. Someone the fans could feed off. Because United had been the better team, even with ten men, for the entirety of the first-half.

United context

The Tannadice side have had to survive a hell of a lot this season. There have been some real low moments which left their mark. Wednesday night was one of those. The day after the night before, when the club lost a key forward in Tony Watt but brought no one to replace him or fill the defensive midfield void, they lost 1-0 to relegation rivals Kilmarnock. While United fans hung a banner calling for sporting director Tony Asghar to be removed from his position, as they did at Tynecastle, they also questioned the character of the team after what was a display of struggle.

Three days later the team delivered evidence of character, fight, quality. Of a team which has what it takes to survive what is currently a four-way battle for survival. Despite taking the lead through a fine finish from Steven Fletcher, this loss deserves context. They lost their captain to a red card before the half-hour mark after a VAR intervention with Nick Walsh deeming Ryan Edwards' challenge on Andy Halliday to be serious foul play. Then the second sucker punch arrived six minutes after the interval. The effervescent Peter Pawlett, only in the starting XI due to an injury to Jamie McGrath in the warm-up, was replaced after suffering an injury. Liam Fox had lost the player who provided that dynamic link between midfield and Fletcher.

From that point, it was about survival. Against the third-best team in the country with the third-best squad. And Neilson made use of it with Garang Kuol, Alex Cochrane and, of course, Humphrys all having a positive impact after the break as Lawrence Shankland grabbed his 21st of the season via deflection and then Cochrane put the home side ahead, concluding a free-flowing move. But despite it all, it was all about the moment which finished the match.

Steven Fletcher celebrates putting Dundee United in front against Hearts. Picture: SNS

Hearts (3-4-3): Clark; Hill (Kuol 69’), Sibbick, Rowles (Cochrane 68’); Forrest (Humphrys (46’), Snodgrass, Halliday (Grant 61’), Kingsley (Neilson 88’); Shankland, Ginnelly, McKay.

Dundee United (3-4-2-1): Birighitti; Edwards, Mulgrew, McMann; Smith, Sibbald (Freeman 74’), Levitt, Niskanen (MacLeod 85’); Pawlett (Djoum 52’), Middleton; Fletcher.