Neil Critchley, Hearts’ head coach, smiled as he conceded that it was not often that a team travels to a tough away ground and wins 6-0.

Well, it happened on Saturday, just ask the Hearts TV viewers and the 2,500 fans who made the trip to Tayside and delighted Critchley praised the travelling fans who, he said, “made an absolute racket all game”.

It was, he added, a great day for them and really pleasing for the players who are now seventh in the 12-strong William Hill Premiership table, nine points clear of bottom club, St Johnstone, and four above second-bottom, Ross County with Dundee tenth on 27 points.

Five different scorers appeared in the credits, Elton Kabangu with two after 51 and 77 minutes), skipper Lawrence Shankland (15), Blair Spittal (17), Musa Drammeh (67) and Kenneth Vargas (90 plus two), as they demolished the Dens Park men.

The solid Hearts defence, with Jamie McCart at the heart alongside 21-year-old, Lewis Neilson, also played a big part in the success as did the midfield with Aussie midfielder Cammy Devlin one of the stand-outs.

And the interplay between Spittal and James Penrice down the left really hurt Tony Docherty’s men.

Critchley said: “I thought we looked a really good team. Some of the goals we scored were fantastic. We were clinical on the break and we kept a clean sheet, which is always a good sign.”

Dundee started well but Shankland’s – nicknamed Shanks – first goal settled the visitors and the head coach claimed it was “massive”.

He added: “It was a terrific strike from Shanks. The second came off a brilliant press from us. We win the ball and Spitts’ (Blair Spittal) provided a brilliant strike.

“Mabey, six weeks ago, Shanks’ shot would have been blocked and Spitts would have hit it over, but those things are going for us now.”

Critchley felt the third goal, netted early in the second half, was “brilliant” counter-attacking play initiated by Devlin in the corner, then influenced by Shankland and continued by the pace of newcomer, Elton Kabangu, who beat his markers before sliding the ball cooly home low past Dens goalkeeper Trevor Carson.

The former Blackpool boss added: “We deserved to win this game. This is a tough place to come to.”

And the 46-year-old added: “No complacency. If we step-off and think we are something else, this game can bite you on the backside very quickly.”

PENRICE POWER: James Penrice, a constant menace for Dundee with his link play with Blair Spittal, one of Hearts’ five marksmen at Dens, and the scorer of a “brilliant” strike according to the Jambos boss. Picture Thomas Brown

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