Lawrence Shankland finally broke his duck for the season as his stoppage-time equaliser helped managerless Hearts end an eight-game losing streak in a 1-1 draw at home to Ross County.
The bottom-of-the-table Edinburgh side, under the interim charge of B team head coach Liam Fox following Steven Naismith’s sacking last weekend, looked set for another defeat as they struggled to find a response to Ronan Hale’s stunning first-half opener for the Staggies.
But Hearts’ second-half pressure eventually paid off six minutes into added time when Shankland’s first goal of the campaign earned them their first point since they drew with Rangers in their opening match.
How Hearts snatched a point
Lawrence Shankland salvaged a point for Hearts
Fox made five changes to the side that started Naismith’s last game in charge away to St Mirren, including handing 19-year-old Adam Forrester his debut at right-back in the absence of Gerald Taylor, who sustained a serious knee injury the previous weekend.
There was one alteration to the County side that started the 3-3 draw with St Johnstone as Michee Efete replaced James Brown at right wing-back.
Hearts almost went ahead in the third minute, but Cammy Devlin was denied by a goal-saving challenge from Ryan Leak after Staggies goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw had fumbled the ball into the path of Shankland.
County threatened two minutes later when Noah Chilvers saw an effort deflected over by Beni Baningime before Chilvers blazed over after the subsequent corner broke to him 15 yards out.
Devlin saw a firm shot from the edge of the box well saved by Laidlaw in the sixth minute before the County keeper did superbly to get down to his left to keep out Alan Forrest’s low strike after the winger had been picked out by a corner from Jorge Grant.
County, defending deep and slowing the game down at every opportunity, started to frustrate their hosts as the half wore on and they went ahead in the 36th minute.
After Grant was dispossessed, the visitors launched a rapid counter-attack and, when Baningime halted Connor Randall’s surge forward with a brilliant tackle on the edge of the box, the ball broke into the path of Hale, who curled a stunning finish high beyond Craig Gordon from 20 yards out.
As anger rained down from the stands, the Hearts players tried to summon a response, but Shankland headed wide after being picked out at the back post by Stephen Kingsley two minutes before the break.
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Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland reacts to his stoppage-time equaliser against Ross County – his first goal this season
Shankland went much closer when he volleyed against the bar in the 58th minute before Forrest and substitutes Barrie McKay and Yan Dhanda threatened.
The hosts were not to be denied, however, and Shankland headed in Dhanda’s corner from six yards out to ensure some much-needed cheer for their embattled supporters.
What the managers said…
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Hearts’ interim boss Liam Fox reacts to the 1-1 draw with Ross County and looks ahead to Thursday’s Europa Conference League match against Dinamo Minsk
Hearts interim boss Liam Fox: “I’m not sitting here celebrating taking a point
“What pleased me is we kept going, we kept playing forward, that was the most important thing.
“From where we’ve been and on the run we’ve had, it would have been easy to go into their shells, but Lawrence came up with the goods at the end, which he’s done numerous times before.
“As I said, we’re not celebrating a point, but I’d rather we took something from the game than nothing.”
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Ross County manager Don Cowie is taking the positives from their 1-1 draw at Hearts, despite conceding a stoppage-time equaliser
Ross County manager Don Cowie: “I’m not angry, I’m proud of the group. We battled against a really good team and put our bodies on the line to try and get the clean sheet. It was frustrating to get so close, but it’s still a good point.
“People probably felt this was a good opportunity for Hearts to get back on the winning trail because it was Ross County coming with a poor away record and there had been a manager change.
“It was about standing up to that and starting really well, keeping the home fans as quiet as we could.
“Obviously when you concede as late as we did you’re deflated, but I have reminded them of the never-say-die attitude and the togetherness they showed. That will stand us in good stead.”