RANGERS were denied three Scottish Premiership points by Hearts this afternoon, the visitors grabbing a 90th-minute equaliser.
Leading through a super John Lundstram strike in the first-half, Gers had the opportunities to bury the game but passed them up before Craig Halkett bundled the ball home in the last minute of normal time for a share of the spoils.
Manager Steven Gerrard named just a single change to his XI - from the side which defeated Hibernian almost a fortnight ago, James Tavernier came in for Nathan Patterson at right back.
That meant it was a back five of Allan McGregor in goal with Tavernier, Connor Goldson, Leon Balogun and Borna Barisic in front of him.
John Lundstram and Glen Kamara were the two midfield sitters, with Joe Aribo, Ianis Hagi and Scott Wright playing in-behind Alfredo Morelos.
Rangers began the game on top, with Craig Gordon making a fine save from Scott Wright inside five minutes, Wright catching a sweet half-volley just outside the area which Gordon did well to beat away.
The goalkeeper then had an easier save to make from Hagi who shot just as he entered the area from the right wing, while Aribo found Morelos at the back post to shoot across the face of goal.
Goldson sent a header over, also at the back post, on the end of what looked to be a clever pre-planned free-kick routine taken by Tavernier, and then Aribo had a deflected shot held by Gordon before it could find the top corner.
The half-hour mark then saw the biggest chance to date – a Hagi corner was twice met at the back post by Leon Balogun but somehow Gordon denied him twice, before Hagi headed a super Tavernier cross over the bar as the home side pressed once more.
The deserved breakthrough eventually arrived on the 40 minute mark – and what a stunning goal this was from John Lundstram.
From the right, Hagi took a super touch on his chest to bring a Goldson ball out of defence under control. Hearts had camped deep almost inside their own box, and Hagi spotted the run of Lundstram from midfield towards goal.
Hagi found the midfield man with a superb ball which Lundstram took a touch on before curling, with some super power, a wonderful effort beyond Gordon and into the back of the net from fully 25-yards.
It was no more than Gers deserved for a strong first-half performance, and it was they who remained in front as the teams trooped up the tunnel for half time.
Hagi had a decent effort from distance deflected behind as Gers opened up the second half on top once more.
Sub Juninho Bacuna tested Gordon when he cut in from the left and shot for goal, with the ‘keeper holding on, while Stephen Kingsley made a fine block to deny Morelos when the Colombian was fed by Aribo.
It was 70 minutes before Hearts tested McGregor – the goalkeeper standing up well to Liam Boyce as he bore down on him – albeit the offside flag was up against the Northern Ireland striker in any case.
That was a warning shot ahead of McGregor having to deny Barrie McKay a minute later as he broke through, while Morelos could have put the game to bed at the other end as he miscued a shot as Aribo set him up.
Bacuna then put fellow sub Kemar Roofe through, but Gordon’s touch on the ball as the Jamaican tried to lob him carried the ball onto the post before Hearts cleared.
Gordon was to save again, this time from a Goldson header, while Morelos passed up another golden opportunity on the end of a Roofe cutback.
McGregor then saved well from Armand Gnanduillet, while Gary Mackay-Steven had an effort over the bar as the Jambos threatened once again.
Hearts manager Robbie Neilson saw red for having too much to say to referee Don Robertson following a bit of a flare-up between Bacuna and Kingsley in front of the dugouts, before on the 90 minute mark, Hearts equalised with Craig Halkett bundling the ball home at the back post from a corner.
RANGERS: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Balogun, Barisic, Lundstram, Kamara, Aribo (Davis, 75), Hagi (Roofe, 75), Wright (Bacuna, 61), Morelos.
SUBS: McLaughlin, Bassey, Patterson, Sakala.
HEARTS: Gordon, Smith, Kingsley, Souttar, Baningime, Woodburn (Ginnelly 61), Boyce, Devlin, Cochrane (Gnanduillet, 77) McKay (Mackay-Steven, 82), Halkett.
SUBS: Stewart, Haring, Moore, Halliday.
REFEREE: Don Robertson
ATTENDANCE: 49,960
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