Hearts will finish the 2024/25 campaign in the bottom six following today's 0-0 draw with Motherwell.
Despite fashioning a number of chances at Fir Park, the Jambos couldn't find a way through, with St. Mirren's late winner against Ross County elsewhere in the Premiership confirming Hearts' bottom six status.
Neil Critchley made one enforced change to the side that faced Dundee United last weekend as Musa Drammeh replaced the suspended James Wilson, meanwhile Frankie Kent and Stephen Kingsley returned to the bench.
With two minutes on the clock, Hearts sent an initial probe. Sander Kartum eased the ball to a waiting Adam Forrester, whose first time cross was covered by Ellery Balcombe in goal before Musa could react.
The next chance wouldn't come until the 18th minute, as fine pressing from the Jambos caught Motherwell on the back foot. Grant slid the ball across to James Penrice, who's cross picked out an unmarked Kartum at the back post, the Norwegian's effort going high and wide.
Motherwell went close too, with Callum Slattery the recipient of a short free kick on the edge of the box, with his low effort dragging inches wide of Craig Gordon's post, before Tony Watt saw his shot flash across the face of goal from the resulting corner.
HT: Motherwell 0-0 Heart of Midlothian
Hearts kept at it, with Blair Spittal seeing his powerful strike shoot over the crossbar from the corner, with Shankland seeing a headed flick across goal from earlier cleared by Stephen O'Donnell.
Luke Armstrong caused no shortage of issues from the bench, doing well to force his way towards the goal and get a shot off, Michael Steinwender doing well to shepherd away the danger.
Hearts had a golden opportunity to score in the 84th minute, as Lawrence Shankland saw his effort cleaved off the line, before Jorge Grant's follow up went over the bar.
Despite a late flurry of Hearts movement towards goal, there was no way through, with results elsewhere confirming our place in the bottom six of the Premiership as the league splits.
Motherwell: Balcombe, O’Donnell ©, Balmer (Koutroumbis 20'), Sparrow (Tavares 71'), Slattery (Paton 81'), Halliday (Andrews 61'), Casey, Miller, Watt (Armstrong 71'), Maswanhise (Wilson 81'), Thompson
Subs: Oxborough, Zdravkovski, Paton, Koutroumbis, Wilson, Andrews, Dickson, Armstrong, Tavares
Hearts: Gordon ©, Baningime (Forrest 71'), Grant, Steinwender (Halkett 90'), Spittal, Kabangu (Nieuwenhof 85'), Kartum (Devlin 45'), Penrice, McCart, Forrester, Musa (Shankland 45')
Subs: Fulton, Kent, Kingsley, Halkett, Nieuwenhof, Shankland, Devlin, Forrest, Dhanda
Attendance: 7,481
