Christian Nade was Hearts' hero as his goal secured a 1-1 draw with Hibernian at Easter Road.
Stalemate in frenetic Edinburgh derby at Easter Road
Christian Nade left Easter Road as the toast of the Hearts faithful after his second-half effort secured his side a 1-1 draw in the Edinburgh derby with Hibernian.
A frenetic and entertaining affair was brought to life on the 18-minute mark when Christophe Berra put through his own goal when under pressure from Hibs captain Rob Jones.
But it was a lead Hearts could not hold onto as Nade stole a share of the spoils early in the second half.
It was the home side that started the brighter of the two teams as they conjured the first chance in only the third minute.
Filipe Morais swung in a corner from the left that caused a scramble in the box but Jones' toe poke found only the arms of Hearts goalkeeper Anthony Basso.
It was though Hearts that began to play the brighter of the football as Andrew Driver down the left caused problems with his direct running style. It was Driver that had Hearts' first chance of note as he should have done better than head over Robbie Neilson's cross from close range.
Driver then turned provider with a crisp delivery but Andrius Velicka could only find the side-netting from close range.
Driver wasteful
It was then somewhat against the run of play when Hibs took the lead as Berra got in front of Jones at a corner, but could only inadvertently knock the ball into his own goal.
Mikael Antoine-Curier was denied a second by Berra's excellently timed tackle as Hibs turned the screw, before the game lulled somewhat in the middle period.
Robust tackling was sporadically punctuated by some excellent moves though, as both sides created excellent chances. On the counter-attack Hibs' Steven Fletcher's cute chip was well saved by Basso - before in a lightning raid up the pitch - Yves Ma-Kalambay demonstrated some equally impressive goalkeeping in denying Velicka.
Hearts started the second period with the bit between their teeth and needed just a minute to find a leveller as Nade nudged in from close range.
Andrius Ksanavicius' deep header dropped invitingly and with the faintest of touches, seemingly off the most delicate part of his anatomy, Nade sent the travelling faithful into ecstasy.
Hearts go close
Buoyed by Nade's goal Hearts began to gain the ascendancy as Driver tested Ma-Kalambay with a daisy-cutter before horribly screwing wide to waste his team-mate's good work.
Velicka bent a clever effort just wide but John Collins' side were hungry for a three-point haul too, as Fletcher's powerful header, from a set piece, was cleared off the line.
Fletcher thought he had scored with another header from a corner but the match official ruled a foul on Berra.
Hibs' Jones wanted a penalty kick for an apparent shirt pull but it was Hearts that went the closest to finding a winner.
Velicka's last contribution was to just fail to connect from close range, while substitute Mauricio Pinilla's point-blank effort was deflected wide.
At the game's conclusion though a point apiece was just about the right result.
