Hearts reclaimed top spot in the Scottish Premiership despite being held to a 2-2 draw by bottom-of-the-table Livingston on Sunday afternoon.
Rangers’ 4-2 victory over Dundee United at Ibrox yesterday afternoon means the Jambos’ lead at the top of the Premiership table is now just a single point, with six games remaining.
The hosts took a shock lead in the 5th minute, as they took full advantage of the first opportunity of the game. Babacar Fati played a fine ball into the box from the left-hand side, an initial shot from Scott Arfield was blocked before the ball fell kindly to Stevie May, who fired the ball low into the bottom corner to net his first goal of the season.
Marvin Bartley’s men had made a fast start to the game and were making life difficult for the visitors in the opening exchanges.
Hearts were beginning to grow into the game and enjoy some much-needed possession after a nervy start. Claudio Braga had two attempts at goal, his first strike could only find the side netting from a tight angle, before he managed to wriggle away from Livingston’s backline inside the box, but his strike was tame and collected by Jerome Prior in the Livingston goal.
The Jambos had their equaliser in the 25th minute. Cristian Montano failed to clear the ball on the edge of his own area, Birmingham loanee Marc Leonard was first to react to the loose ball, playing a perfectly timed ball into the box for Lawrence Shankland, who rose highest to put his side back on level terms and cancel out Stevie May’s opener.
Shankland’s equaliser kick-started a spell of dominance for the Gorgie side, with the talisman coming close to a second goal of the afternoon when Claudio Braga controlled Kyziridis’ high cross into the box, allowing Shankland time to strike from range, but his volley flew narrowly wide.
In the 40th minute, Hearts threatened once more. Claudio Braga tested the fingertips of Jerome Prior from distance, Prior got down well to his left to divert Braga’s low effort away from danger.
The final notable chance of an eventful first half came when Scott Arfield sent a low free kick wide of the Hearts goal.
Both sides had to deal with troubling weather conditions as torrential rain and snow began to fall in West Lothian.
Hearts started the half the better of the two and took the lead in the 50th minute. Braga and Shankland had looked dangerous all afternoon, and the pair combined well to net their team’s second goal of the game.
Shankland’s header at the far post was blocked well by Cristian Montano, but the ball would drop back for the Scotland striker, who played the ball back across goal for Braga, who leaped highest to beat several defenders and give his side a vital lead.
Despite Braga’s header, Hearts could only keep their advantage for a matter of minutes. Livingston responded brilliantly to going behind for the first time in the match. Cristian Montano drove forward with the ball on the byline before cutting it back for Joel Nouble inside the box; he miscued an attempt from range, but the ball fell for Lewis Smith, who blasted the ball beyond Alexander Schwolow.
The match started to become a very scrappy and end-to-end affair throughout spells of the second half, with both teams struggling to break each other down after Smith’s equaliser, as the game entered the closing stages.
As the game entered four minutes of additional time, Robbie Muirhead looked to drive past Marc Leonard on the halfway line, only to be wiped out and brought down. Leonard was shown a yellow card, but a lengthy VAR check followed, which saw the yellow be upgraded to a red card, meaning Hearts had to see the final few seconds of the game out with ten men.
Next up for Hearts is a home game against Motherwell next Saturday, meanwhile Livingston travel to Tannadice to face Dundee United.
