Hearts recover from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Hibs

Ten-man Hearts salvaged a point with a 2-2 draw against Hibernian in a fiercely fought Edinburgh derby yesterday thanks to a double from Andrius Velicka.

However, second-placed Hearts failed to tighten the gap on Scottish Premier League leaders Celtic and trail by five points after 10 matches.

Celtic, who beat Dundee United 4-1 away on Saturday, have 25 points, while their arch-rivals Rangers are third 10 points adrift after a shock 1-0 defeat by Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Hearts were down to 10 men for the last half-hour after midfielder Saulius Mikoliunas was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Moroccan midfielder Merouane Zemmama gave Hibs the lead in the sixth minute. Ten minutes later, Zammama swept over a corner from the left for New Zealand striker Chris Killen to glance home a close range header for 2-0.

Hearts hauled a goal back thanks to a blunder by keeper Zibi Malkowski who raced to the edge of his box for a deep ball and lost out to Lithuanian Velicka who sent a header sailing into the unguarded net in the 28th.

Velicka scored the equaliser 18 minutes from time when he took a pass from Paul Hartley and fired a low, 18-metre shot which beat Pole Malkowski at his near, right post.

"I was very angry after 20 minutes (when 2-0 down), but I didn't think about losing," Hearts' Lit-huanian manager Valdas Ivanaus-kas said.