Hearts: Gordon, Neilson, Pressley, Webster, Fyssas, Cesnauskis, Hartley, Brellier, Skacel (Mikoliunas 86), Bednar (Elliot 76), Jankauskas. Subs Not Used: Banks, Berra, Goncalves, Aguiar, Petras.

Booked: Hartley, Skacel, Brellier. Goal: Jankauskas 9.

Rangers: Waterreus, Hutton, Rodriguez, Kyrgiakos, Murray, Burke, Buffel, Ferguson, Hemdani, Prso (Novo 75), Lovenkrands (Kris Boyd 56). Subs Not Used: Klos, Andrews, Ricksen, Namouchi, Smith.

Booked: Burke, Prso. Goal: Buffel 65.

Att: 17,040

Ref: C Thomson


Hearts maintained their six-point lead in the race for second spot in the SPL after a bruising draw with Rangers.
Edgaras Jankauskas shot Hearts into an early lead when he converted Paul Hartley's cross from close range.

Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon made a fantastic save to keep out a shot from Thomas Buffel but the Belgian slid in to score the equaliser on 65 minutes.

Buffel went close with a strike, while Hearts defender Robbie Nielson hit the woodwork from long range late on.

With eight games remaining, Hearts are on course for a place in the Champions League next term but Rangers will remain in hot pursuit.

The game started at a whirlwind pace, the home team posing the greater menace with their high-tempo pressing game.

And it took just nine minutes for them to break the deadlock with a well-worked goal.

Deividas Cesnauskis skipped past Rangers full-back Ian Murray on the right and sent Hartley scampering down the wing.

The Scotland international sent in a low cross and, with goalkeeper Ronald Waterreus drifting beyond his near post, Jankauskas had the simple task of slotting the ball home from six yards.

A scrappy match was punctuated with fouls and there was little in the way of goalmouth action.

Rangers struggled to open up the Hearts defence but Peter Lovenkrands pounced on a slip from Julien Brellier only to see Gordon get fingertips to his drive.

On the stroke of half-time, Rangers winger Chris Burke skilfully gave Andy Webster the slip on the right and flashed a cross into the Hearts six-yard box, but Buffel was a yard short of the delivery.

Ten minutes after the break, Rangers were denied by a wonderful save from Gordon.

A free-kick broke off the defensive wall and into the path of Buffel, but the midfielder's shot from 12 yards was pushed away in acrobatic style by the Scotland goalkeeper.

However, Buffel was soon celebrating when he slid in at the far post to ram a cross from Burke into the back of the net.

Gordon then had to look lively to stop a powerful header from Dado Prso, while Hearts skipper Steven Pressly nodded a corner kick over the crossbar.

Burke then slashed a shot wide from a promising position as Rangers began to assert more control of what remained a torrid encounter.

Buffel snatched a shot narrowly wide of the mark on 80 minutes, while Hearts full-back Nielson hit the crossbar with a dipping effort from 25 yards as both sides made a late bid for victory.