Hearts scored twice in the final 10 minutes to secure a 2-2 draw with Rangers in their final match in the Scottish Championship this afternoon.
The hosts looked the more likely of the two in the opening 10 minutes as Jamie Walker forced a diving save from Cammy Bell, while Kenny Miller was back to head a Danny Wilson ball clear.
Despite Hearts' bright start, it was Rangers who opened the scoring with just over half-an-hour gone as Nicky Law delivered a curling free kick, setting up Darren McGregor to head in at the far post.
Haris Vuckic tried to set up a second a few minutes later when he crossed the ball in, but Hearts intercepted it and pressed down the other end, but a foul prevented them getting a shot away.
The missed opportunity proved costly as Stuart McCall's side doubled their advantage just a couple of minutes before the interval when Law and Vuckic linked up, setting up Miller for a tap-in from close range.
The visitors were on the attack again early in the second half as Nicky Clark headed the ball into the path of Vuckic, but his quickly-taken shot failed to test the keeper.
Hearts started to see more of the ball as the hour mark approached, but a drilled effort from Walker on the edge of the box was straight at Bell, leaving the Rangers keeper with an easy save.
The home side managed to intercept a Dean Shiels pass to leave them looking for Osman Sow on the counter-attack, but McGregor managed to make the tackle to top the striker getting his shot away.
The champions gave themselves a chance of getting something from the match inside the final 10 minutes when Genero Zeefuik headed the ball in at the post from a long ball forward.
Zeefuik completed the turnaround in stoppage time with another effort from close range, sending Bell the wrong way to seal a point for the champions.
The result sends Hearts up with a record points total, while Rangers must face Queen of the South in a playoff.
Sian Cowper
