Bruce Anderson came off the bench to bundle home a 90th-minute equaliser as Kilmarnock rescued a 1-1 draw at Tynecastle, leaving Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts without a win for a fourth straight match.
Lawrence Shankland had put Hearts ahead early in the second half with a composed finish that looked like it would settle the contest, but Anderson reacted quickest to a spilled stop in stoppage time and forced the ball over the line, silencing the home crowd.
The point proved crucial in the title race: Celtic, who had been nine points adrift in early November, moved level with Derek McInnes’s side ahead of Sunday’s top-of-the-table clash at Parkhead.
Before kick-off Hearts paid tribute to chairwoman Ann Budge, who is stepping down after more than 11 years in charge. McInnes made five changes from the side that drew at Motherwell, handing Christian Borchgrevink and Alan Forrest their first starts since August. Kilmarnock manager Stuart Kettlewell made four alterations, with Tyreece John-Jules making his first start since arriving in October.
Hearts began brightly but their first clear opening came on 15 minutes when Shankland’s attempted chip was comfortably held by Kilmarnock goalkeeper Tobi Oluwayemi after good work by Cammy Devlin and Landry Kabore. Killie responded in the 28th minute when Brad Lyons dragged a 25-yard effort narrowly over the bar.
Hearts controlled large spells but often struggled to turn possession into genuine chances. Around the half-hour mark Kabore almost turned a Borchgrevink delivery into the net, and Kilmarnock’s best first-half opportunity fell to James Brown, who volleyed wide from six yards after Greg Kiltie’s shot was pushed out by Alexander Schwolow.
Four minutes after the break the deadlock was broken. Kabore’s deception opened space from a pass involving Tomas Magnusson, allowing Shankland to break clear and dink a finish past Oluwayemi from inside the area. Hearts then pushed for a second: Shankland headed narrowly over and Magnusson saw a header from Harry Milne’s corner crash back off the post. Both Kabore and Shankland had further efforts that went close.
Kilmarnock threatened a way back in the 74th minute when substitute Marcus Dackers glanced a header onto the crossbar from a Kiltie delivery, and David Watson soon flashed a shot wide as nerves grew among the home supporters. Hearts introduced Claudio Braga and Blair Spittal from the bench, and both had opportunities to wrap up the game.
Instead, in stoppage time Schwolow failed to hold a Liam Polworth strike and Anderson reacted quickest, converting the loose ball to salvage a late point for Killie and leave Hearts frustrated at Tynecastle.