Hearts edge back to the top of the table
Livingston 2 - 2 Hearts
Hearts edged back to the summit of the Scottish Premiership but dropped points at Livingston
Author | Mark Lee
Stadium | Home of the Set Fare Arena
Their advantage, which stood at three points at the start of the weekend, is now down to one following Rangers’ win over Dundee United on Saturday.
Celtic’s win over Dundee means they're also now closer to the league leaders. It's going to be a dramatic title race for all three sides.
It might have been worse for Hearts
They ended the match with 10 men. Livingston struck early, taking a surprise lead in the fifth minute when Stevie May drove a finish in from the edge of the area to silence the travelling support.
Hearts responded with purpose and drew level through their returning captain Lawrence Shankland, who powered home a header from an excellent delivery by Marc Leonard.
Both sides passed up chances before the interval, with Shankland going close again for Hearts and Babacar Fati missing for Livingston, as the teams went in level.
The weather played a part
The conditions deteriorated during the break, and a snowstorm greeted the players for the second half, though Hearts began brightly. Shankland turned provider, looping a header back across goal for Claudio Braga to steal in front of his marker and put the visitors ahead.
The lead lasted only seven minutes. Slack play from Hearts allowed Livingston to counter, and the ball was squared for Lewis Smith to finish at the back post.
Clearer skies returned but neither side could find a winner. Hearts’ title push stalls again away from home, with no victory in their past four on the road.
There was further frustration in stoppage time when Leonard was sent off for pulling down Robbie Muirhead as he broke clear, compounding a difficult afternoon for the league leaders.