Hearts were hit by a late double sucker punch to draw 2-2 with Ross County on Sunday.
James Wilson looked to be the hero with a goal in each half but two stoppage time goals from Josh Nisbet and Jordan White saw the hosts claim a share of the spoils.
Head Coach Neil Critchley made three changes from the side that lost in midweek. The suspended Cammy Devlin was replaced by Jorge Grant, Liam Boyce came in for the injured Lawrence Shankland while Adam Forrester started ahead of Craig Halkett, who moved to the bench.
It took only two minutes for the scoring to be opened and it was courtesy of a lovely Jambos move. Breaking quickly, Boyce played a wonderful defence-splitting pass for Wilson, who took a majestic first touch into the box before slamming low beyond Jordan Amissah.
Wilson went close to a second on the quarter-hour mark. Blair Spittal played James Penrice down the left, he sent over a riving cross for Wilson to prod goalwards but Amissah got down to make a smart block and deny the young striker.
The hosts then started to enjoy more of the ball. Bang on 30 minutes, Connor Randall hit a low, long-range effort but Craig Gordon got down to smother the ball.
Ross County threatened again five minutes later. Ronan Hale latched on to a ball over the top and held off his man but he could only blast well over the bar from just inside the box.
A clever Hearts break minutes before half time saw the Jambos work the County goalkeeper. Boyce got the edge of the box before feeding Forrester, he powered an effort on target but Amissah beat the ball away.
Half time: Ross County 0-1 Hearts
Two minutes into the restart the Jam Tarts doubled the lead, and it was that man Wilson again. Spittal sent Penrice down the left, he crossed into the box and Wilson leapt to steer a fantastic header into the far corner of the net.
Wilson thought he had the opportunity for a hat-trick soon after when referee Ross Hardie pointed to the spot after Penrice was hauled down inside the box. Following a VAR check, contact was deemed to have taken place outside the area, and although it continued into the box, the referee reversed his decision.
Moments later, that third goal nearly did come. Again, Penrice got down the left and sent a great ball across for Boyce to flash a header goalwards but it landed on the roof of the net.
VAR came into play again after 65 minutes with Ross County claiming a penalty. After consulting the screen, substitute Jordan White was deemed to be offside in the build up and no penalty was awarded.
Substitute Alan Forrest nearly made an immediate impact, getting on the end of Spittal’s cross but he didn’t get enough of a connection on his effort and sent it wide.
With seven minutes remaining it looked like Boyce had grabbed Hearts’ third with a richly deserved goal, knocking in the rebound after Spittal’s free kick had rattled the cross bar, but he was deemed to have been offside when the ball was struck after another VAR check and the goal was chalked off.
Gordon was called into action in stoppage time, springing to his right to push away substitute Eamonn Brophy's long-range shot.
In the 96th minute the hosts pulled one back through Nisbet's close range finish before disaster struck with a minute remaining when White bundled home for the equaliser.
Ross County: Amissah, Leak (White, 46’), Wright, Randall (Allardice, 72’), Hale (Brophy, 72’), Chilvers, Grieves (Brown, 59’), Harmon, Lopata, Nisbet, Efete. Subs: Hamilton, Lamie, Loturi, Telfer, Reid.
Hearts: Gordon, Oyegoke, Baningime, Grant (Boateng, 85’), Rowles, Spittal, Wilson (Vargas, 85’), Boyce, Penrice, Forrester (Halkett, 94'), Musa (Forrest, 74’). Subs: Clark, Oda, Dhanda, Tait, Salazar.
