The midfield had probably the most makeshift look about it of all with Fernando Ricksen and young Stephen Hughes occupying the central berths.
Hearts took the game to Rangers right from kick-off and it took just eight minutes for their positive approach to pay off.
Arthur Numan’s header back to Stefan Klos was woefully short and Andy Kirk nipped in with a shot that was blocked. At the edge of the box for the rebound was Kevin McKenna, who swept a left-foot drive into the bottom corner.
Rangers, if the weren’t aware of it yet, knew they were in for a real game of it after that. Their response was swift as Russell Latapy’s equaliser came just seven minutes later
Numan’s cross from the left was headed out, but only as far as the little Trinidadian who returned it with considerable interest into Niemi’s top right-hand corner.
Ronald de Boer then had a great turn and shot as Advocaat’s men began to look in the mood for this battle in the capital.
However, Hearts and Craig Levein had other ideas and continued to press Rangers at every opportunity. Left-back Stephane Mahe was lucky to escape a booking for a tough but late tackle on Ricksen.
As the pressure from the home side increased, so did the level of panic sweeping through the Ibrox rearguard.
Hearts’ Spanish winger Juanjo almost restored his team’s lead with a surging run as he cut in from the left and angled a shot towards the far corner, only for Klos to fingertip it away.
Stephen Simmons was next to take on the Gers defence but his run past both Ricksen and Hughes was to no avail as there was no maroon shirt on the end of his cross.
Half time was a welcome break to catch your breath before the same frenetic action started all over again.
Just three minutes after the interval, Tore Andre Flo finished off a superb move to put Rangers ahead.
A one-touch passing exercise saw the ball move through Kanchelskis, Latapy and then on to the Norwegian before taking a deflection off Steven Pressley on its way into the bottom corner.
Thomas Flogel was then booked before Pressley appeared to impede Flo in the box, but the referee dismissed the strong claim from the Ibrox support.
In the 79th minute, Jambos youngster Simmons took control of the proceedings by hitting a blistering, unstoppable volley beyond Klos into the top corner to pull Levein’s side level, and deservedly so.
There were yellow cards for Fulton and Hughes before the end as another two crucial points went down the drain, much to the annoyance of Advocaat.
Hearts (4-4-2): Niemi; Flogel, Pressley (c), Webster, Mahe; Juanjo, Simmons, Severin (Adam 78), Fulton; McKenna, Kirk (McSwegan 69). Unused subs: McKenzie (Gk), Boyack, McCann.
Rangers (3-4-1-2): Klos; Ross, Konterman, Vidmar; Kanchelskis, Ricksen, Hughes, Numan (c); Latapy (Dodds 82); De Boer (Lovenkrands 72), Flo. Unused subs: Christiansen (Gk), Caniggia, Penttila.
Booked: Hearts – Flogel (61), Fulton (80); Rangers – Hughes (82).
Referee: Hugh Dallas
Attendance: 14,014.
Man of the Match: Maurice Ross
Moment of the Match: The passing move that lead to Rangers’ second goal.