Wed Jan 2 16:09:07 2008

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Robson leaves Hearts seeing red

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Dundee, Scotland (Sports Network) - Barry Robson scored three goals, including two penalty kicks, as Dundee United downed Hearts 4-1 at Tannadice Park on Wednesday.

The game saw Hearts finish the match with eight players as Marius Zaliukas, Lee Wallace, and Michael Stewart each received a red card in the second half of the loss.

Robson scored his first goal from a free kick 23 minutes into the match, but Hearts leveled things before halftime through Christophe Berra. However, things turned ugly in the second half for the Edinburgh club as Robson converted a spot kick in the 70th after Zaliukas was sent off and Noel Hunt doubled the lead in the 84th. Robson tallied his third goal of the game from the spot in the 88th after Wallace was given his marching orders, while Stewart also managed to get an early exit after picking up a second yellow card.

The game was physical from the start with hard tackles flying from the opening whistle. Controversy struck in the 23rd minute when Hearts' Robbie Neilson shanked a clearance that ended up in his goalkeeper's hands. The referee ruled the incident a deliberate pass-back, which gave Dundee United a free kick six yards from goal.

Lee Wilkie dropped the ball back to Robson, and he promptly slammed it into the back of the net to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.

Hearts found an answer for the opener in the 37th off of a corner kick when Stewart's cross was headed on by Zaliukas and Berra snuck into the six-yard box to push it over the goal line.

The match was up for grabs in the second half, but things changed dramatically in the 70th minute when Zaliukas was sent off. The Hearts midfielder was called for elbowing Wilkie inside the area, earning himself a red card, and after a discussion with his assistants, the official pointed to the spot.

Robson held his nerve to put United ahead 2-1, and he then turned provider in the 84th to set up his team's third goal.

A Robson free kick was floated behind the Hearts defense, allowing Hunt to beat the offsides trap and finish off the play to secure all three points for the hosts.

Wallace then brought down Robson inside the box to earn a red card for himself, and Robson completed his hat trick by sending the keeper the wrong way from the spot.

In other action in Scotland on Wednesday, Aberdeen got past Inverness 1-0 as Barry Nicholson converted an 83rd-minute penalty kick, while Falkirk's Carl Finnigan scored the lone goal of the match in the 11th minute as his side defeated Kilmarnock 1-0.