Hearts are back at the top of the Scottish Premiership but dropped a vital point in the title race against bottom-placed Livingston.
The Jumbos were looking to catch up after Rangers’ win on Saturday, but they took an early lead when Livingston opened the scoring just five minutes later.
Laurence Shankland, making his first start since January, scored the equalizer with a header just before half-time in blustery weather that alternated between snow and sunshine.
Hearts thought they had secured victory against the relegation candidates when Claudio Braga headed the ball into the net, but Lewis Smith pushed home to make it 2-2.
Mark Leonard brought down Robbie Muirhead in stoppage time and the Hearts midfielder was given a red card after a VAR check.
Derek McInnes’ side are one point behind Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premiership with six games remaining. Livingstone are at the bottom of the table with 11 points difference.
fan dissatisfaction
Despite ending the weekend in first place with a point difference, there was great frustration among the 7,000 supporters in Almondvale as the Edinburgh side dropped points in their fourth successive away game.
The Jambos were stunned five minutes later when Livi, who had not won since August, took the lead from their first attack.
Babacar Fati ran up the left flank and his cross was headed by Jamie McCartt to Scott Arfield, but his shot was blocked by McCartt.
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Stevie May surprises Hearts with Livingston’s opener
The ball rebounded to May, who smashed Alexander Schworrow’s accurate low shot from the edge of the box into the bottom right corner.
Craig Halkett then had to stand firm to prevent the Lions’ Mo Silla from forcing a second goal.
After this tough start, Hearts began to establish their dominance. Braga’s shot on the turn was saved by Jerome Prior, but Oisin McEntee’s shot from the right went dangerously close to Alexandros Kyzyridis.
Kingsley then overlapped Kouziridis on the left before firing a shot from an angle that went just wide.
The equalizer came in the 24th minute when Cristian Montano failed to clear his line and Leonard delivered a fine cross from the right, which was headed in by Shankland from six yards out.
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Lawrence Shankland equalizes for Hearts before half-time
Hearts continued their momentum and four minutes later they almost had another shot on target when Braga headed in a cross from Kouziridis on the edge of the box to Shankland who fired just wide of the target. Bulaga then had a low shot from 18 yards that was chipped backwards by Prior.
Hearts had three chances in quick succession just before half-time, but after some great work from Braga, Shankland twice and Kouziridis were unable to force the ball into the goal.
The Jambos took the lead in the 51st minute when Kuziridis’ cross from the left was headed home by Shankland, and Braga equalized from a few yards out.
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Claudio Braga put Hearts ahead in the second half.
The visitors looked to be in control as they looked for a third goal, but Islam Chesnokov was denied by Prior and Shankland headed home.
But in the 58th minute, Joel Nouble assisted a low cross from Montano, who intercepted a pass from Halkett to Chesnokov near the halfway line and ran up the left channel, allowing Smith to tuck the ball in from a tight angle at the back post, allowing Livi to equalize.
Hearts’ frustration was compounded by Leonard’s sending off in stoppage time after he was deemed to have prevented Muirhead from scoring.
McInnes: We took two points.
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Hearts head coach Derek McInnes reflects on the draw at Livingston
Hearts head coach Derek McInnes told Sky Sports:
“To be honest, we took two points.
“The two goals we lost were terrible and I have to say that, because the first goal was a man between us and the press and it was completely wrong. We couldn’t really get it back. But what we got was a good reaction.”
“We had some good moments in the first half, a great header from Lawrence and a great goal, and towards the end of the first half it was more positive than anything.
“At half-time we talked about trying to move the ball a little bit faster, Livingston are shaping up on the counter-attack and will always be a bit of a threat in transition.
“It was more important to take good care of the ball and we had some good moments at the beginning of the second half that culminated in the second goal.
“You could feel the pressure building on us. We were very clean and polished and looked like a team at the top of the table. Instead of being in charge and enjoying being in the lead, we inexplicably gifted Livingston a goal.
“(They should) be given credit for what they did. They worked hard and found extra players, but it was so unnecessary and you just kept going off the canvas and back to it. We had a little bit of a breather after that, but Livingston was worth their points.”
“Obviously, if you look at the context, we’re leading the league with six games left, so it’s not too negative or anything, but today we conceded two very poor goals and lost two points.”
Robertson: “Hearts didn’t try hard enough to win”
Former Hearts manager John Robertson said on Sky Sports:
“It lifts the spirits, that’s very important – psychologically it’s good for them.
“But at 2-1 they were comfortable. It’s an elementary school thing. You can’t play a straight pass to a player in midfield. He got caught, they jumped up and Livingston got a goal from one of the worst mistakes of the season.”
“Hearts didn’t do enough after that to win the game. I don’t think Hearts asked enough questions of Livingston’s goalkeeper or defense in the last 30 minutes.”
“In the end, this is a reasonable result. Between Livingstone’s two goals, Hearts could have put the game away, but they didn’t.”
