Hearts, despite missing front men Gary McSwegan and Stephane Adam through injury, had enough fire power to see off Dundee at Tynecastle.

Hearts were disappointed with their first half of the season and are keen to push up the table and claim a UEFA Cup place next season.

Five days training in sunny Portugal seems to have benefited the Edinburgh team and they started the pressure on Dundee very early.

After only seven minutes a good move, involving a Steve Fulton pass and a Colin Cameron header, saw Darren Jackson send a 25-yard drive just past the left post.

The pressure on the Dundee goal continued and, after a dangerous inswinging corner from Fulton on 14 minutes, Dundee were very lucky to still be on level terms.

Fulton's corner was met by Scott Severin whose shot was brilliantly tipped on to the crossbar by Robert Douglas.

The reprieve was a very short lived one because, on 17 minutes, former Hamilton goal ace Gary Wales clinically despatched a low shot past Douglas from eight yards after some strong Hearts pressure.

Dundee were not downhearted by this and Shaun McSkimming, returning from a stomach operation, was very unlucky not to equalise.

In the 21st minute McSkimming unleashed a 25-yard piledriver which had Antii Niemi beaten but the ball crashed off the crossbar to safety.

Cameron went close for Hearts just before the break with a 20-yard shot which flashed past the left post.

Dundee started the second half brightly and Niemi did well to thwart Dundee substitute Graham Bayne from close range on 48 minutes.

Darren Jackson seized on a bad clearance by Douglas to put the Jambos 2-0 up on 50 minutes.

Douglas redeemed himself two minutes later by turning a good Cameron 25 yard shot round for a corner.

Both sides continued to create chances but the two goal deficit was always going to be too much for Dundee.

In the last few minutes Hearts could have even added to their lead when Wales missed a glaring opportunity for his second on 79 minutes, shooting past the right post with only the keeper to beat.

Dundee substitute Nicky Banger made a goal saving tackle on Wales a couple of minutes later but Hearts will be happy to start the second half of the SPL campaign with a win.

Teams

Hearts: Niemi, Naysmith, Pressley, Petric, Murray, Locke (Leclercq 74), Fulton, Severin, Wales (Juanjo 89), Cameron, Jackson. Subs Not Used: Rousset, Simpson, Tomaschek.

Booked: Juanjo.

Goals: Wales 17, Jackson 50.

Dundee: Douglas, Van Eijs (Banger 56), Tweed, Smith, Ireland, Sharp, McSkimming, Billio (Boyack 72), Grady (Bayne 38), Rae, Falconer.

Subs Not Used: Langfield, Wilkie.

Booked: Billio, Ireland.

Att: 13,112

Ref: George Simpson (Scotland).