Dundee started brightly and forced a early corner after a Lyall Cameron shot was saved. They looked quick on the break with both full backs pushing forward.
Herats had a lot of the ball but never troubled the Dundee defence and the midfield was picking up a lot of second balls.
Midway through the first half Dundee broke through. A poor kick out by Zander Clark was picked up by Luke McCowan. This season, instead of opting for the extravagant chip, McCowan played in Scott Tiffoney on the left and he cut inside to score with a low shot inside Clark’s near post.
A long ball from Ziyad Larkeche allowed Palmer-Houlden to race in from the right. Clark parried his fierce shot and saved again from Lyall Cameron’s acrobatic follow up volley.
Gerald Taylor caught Tiffoney with a dreadful late tackle wide of the Hearts penalty area. It was only a yellow card , it looked a red to me.
But minutes later Taylor put the ball into his own net, after a Simon Murray cross into the box.
Then Dundee broke away Tiffoney was fouled inside the box and it was a penalty to Dundee.
Up stepped Luke McCowan to score with ease to make it 3-0 Dundee. To the deelight of the Dundee fans.
Hearts made three changes at half-time and attacked for the first few minutes of the second half.
But it was Dundee who scored next only for it ruled out for hand ball in the build up by Mo Sylla, it was Cameron who put the ball into the net. The Hearts fans were leaving in big numbers.
Hearts continued to dominate possession but they offered more threat than in the first half. Yan Dhanda sent a half volley over the bar from a cross by fellow substitute Yutaro Oda.
After 61 minutes Hearts pulled a goal back. Dundee couldn’t clear a free kick from the left. Ex Dee Malachi Boateng, who came on at half time, sent over a dangerous cross and Frankie Kent headed in from close range. There was another VAR delay to check for possible offside, and again it didn’t go Dundee’s way.
Dundee had to reorganise the defence when Ziyad Larkeche was stretchered off after 69 minutes. Billy Koumetio came on to make his debut in central defence with Jordan McGhee moving to left back. It was an unfamiliar defence but there was little sign of that.
The Dark Blues could have settled the game when Palmer-Houlden made a fantastic run from the half way line through the Hearts midfield and sent Tiffoney in on goal, but the winger clipped his finish over the bar.
McCracken had a couple of saves near the end , but Dundee dug deep to secure the three points. All the players played well today and played some great football. It was also great to see the pitch looking wonderful.
Dundee: McCracken, Ingram, Portales, McGhee, Larkeche (Koumetio 72), Cameron, Sylla, McCowan (c), Palmer-Houlden, Murray (Main 89), Tiffoney (Fin Robertson 90+6). Unused Subs: Sharp (gk), Carson (gk), Astley, Graham, Lochhead.
Referee: Don Robertson
Att: 7,266
