Lawrence Shankland lastly broke his duck for the season as his stoppage-time equaliser helped managerless Hearts finish an eight-game dropping streak in a 1-1 draw at residence to Ross County.
The underside-of-the-table Edinburgh aspect, underneath the interim cost of B staff head coach Liam Fox following Steven Naismith’s sacking final weekend, seemed set for an additional defeat as they struggled to discover a response to Ronan Hale’s gorgeous first-half opener for the Staggies.
However Hearts’ second-half strain ultimately paid off six minutes into added time when Shankland’s first purpose of the marketing campaign earned them their first level since they drew with Rangers of their opening match.
How Hearts snatched some extent
Fox made 5 adjustments to the aspect that began Naismith’s final sport in cost away to St Mirren, together with handing 19-year-old Adam Forrester his debut at right-back within the absence of Gerald Taylor, who sustained a severe knee damage the earlier weekend.
There was one alteration to the County aspect that began the 3-3 draw with St Johnstone as Michee Efete changed James Brown at proper wing-back.
Hearts nearly went forward within the third minute, however Cammy Devlin was denied by a goal-saving problem from Ryan Leak after Staggies goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw had fumbled the ball into the trail of Shankland.
County threatened two minutes later when Noah Chilvers noticed an effort deflected over by Beni Baningime earlier than Chilvers blazed over after the next nook broke to him 15 yards out.
Devlin noticed a agency shot from the sting of the field nicely saved by Laidlaw within the sixth minute earlier than the County keeper did beautifully to get all the way down to his left to maintain out Alan Forrest’s low strike after the winger had been picked out by a nook from Jorge Grant.
County, defending deep and slowing the sport down at each alternative, began to frustrate their hosts because the half wore on they usually went forward within the thirty sixth minute.
After Grant was dispossessed, the guests launched a speedy counter-attack and, when Baningime halted Connor Randall’s surge ahead with an excellent deal with on the sting of the field, the ball broke into the trail of Hale, who curled a shocking end excessive past Craig Gordon from 20 yards out.
As anger rained down from the stands, the Hearts gamers tried to summon a response, however Shankland headed vast after being picked out on the again publish by Stephen Kingsley two minutes earlier than the break.
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Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland reacts to his stoppage-time equaliser in opposition to Ross County – his first purpose this season
Shankland went a lot nearer when he volleyed in opposition to the bar within the 58th minute earlier than Forrest and substitutes Barrie McKay and Yan Dhanda threatened.
The hosts had been to not be denied, nonetheless, and Shankland headed in Dhanda’s nook from six yards out to make sure some much-needed cheer for his or her embattled supporters.
What the managers mentioned…
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Hearts’ interim boss Liam Fox reacts to the 1-1 draw with Ross County and appears forward to Thursday’s Europa Convention League match in opposition to Dinamo Minsk
Hearts interim boss Liam Fox: “I’m not sitting here celebrating taking a point
“What happy me is we stored going, we stored taking part in ahead, that was an important factor.
“From where we’ve been and on the run we’ve had, it would have been easy to go into their shells, but Lawrence came up with the goods at the end, which he’s done numerous times before.
“As I mentioned, we’re not celebrating some extent, however I would somewhat we took one thing from the sport than nothing.”
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Ross County supervisor Don Cowie is taking the positives from their 1-1 draw at Hearts, regardless of conceding a stoppage-time equaliser
Ross County supervisor Don Cowie: “I’m not angry, I’m proud of the group. We battled against a really good team and put our bodies on the line to try and get the clean sheet. It was frustrating to get so close, but it’s still a good point.
“Individuals in all probability felt this was a superb alternative for Hearts to get again on the successful path as a result of it was Ross County coming with a poor away document and there had been a supervisor change.
“It was about standing up to that and starting really well, keeping the home fans as quiet as we could.
“Clearly if you concede as late as we did you are deflated, however I’ve reminded them of the never-say-die perspective and the togetherness they confirmed. That may stand us in good stead.”
