Hearts ensured they will go into their penultimate match of the season with at least a one-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership by drawing with Motherwell in a pulsating match at a packed Fir Park.
The visitors, chasing their first title since 1960, fell behind for the fifth game running when Stephen Kingsley bundled the ball into his own net, but they hit back through Lawrence Shankland just before the break.
Hearts are four points clear of Celtic, who will have the chance to reduce the deficit to one point if they defeat Rangers on Sunday.
Although visibly disappointed at full time not to eke out the victory, Derek McInnes’s team could yet seal the championship at home to Falkirk on Wednesday with a game to spare depending on how Martin O’Neill’s side fare over their next two matches.
McInnes was also left ruing “a huge moment” after his side were not awarded a penalty in the second half. The referee, Steven McLean, was called to the monitor by the video assistant referee, Greg Aitken, after Alexandros Kyziridis went down in the box after appearing to be caught on the foot by Tawanda Maswanhise while sprinting to meet a short corner. McLean, however, stuck to his guns.
