Hearts recent form dip continued at Fir Park when the William Hill Premiership leaders were held to a no-score draw by Motherwell, their third draw in six games with only two wins registered.
The combination of Claudio Braga, Alexandros Kyziridis and Lawrence Shankland, so lethal in the earlier part of the season, failed to fire at Fir Park and it was the home side who had the best chances of a disappointing game.
And it took two saves from German goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow to deny Motherwell late on.
Earlier, Motherwell asked questions but Hearts threatened on the break. However, neither goalkeeper was tested.
The visitors suffered a scare when Stuart Findlay misjudged the bounce of a ball on the left hand edge of the Hearts’ six-yard box and Elijah Just pounced. The New Zealand player sent the ball across the area, but the ball was scrambled clear.
The fired-up Fir Park side, who have climbed to third spot in the table, continued to put pressure on the Jambos as they looked for their first win over the Edinburgh side since 2024, but a slack pass from Callum Slattery resulted in the first corner of the scrappy match going to Hearts. It was comfortably dealt with by Motherwell.
Shankland was booked for kicking the ball away in frustration and seconds later the home side celebrated as Callum Hendry slotted from close in after a dangerous curving ball into the box. The celebration was short-lived as VAR was called in to check and the goal was ruled out for offside.
A major disappointment for the Lanarkshire side and undoubtedly a boost for Hearts as they aimed to bounce back from their first defeat of the season at Aberdeen.
Well, however, kept on coming but Hearts broke and Kyziridis was booked for simulation just outside the Motherwell box. The Greek was not impressed.
The Jambos, roared on by nearly 4,800 fans who packed one stand, were struggling to find form against a determined Motherwell outfit who maintained their pressure on the league pace-setters who tried to unlock the home rearguard by passing the ball from side to side.
Possession but no punch unfortunately for the travelling fans who saw Findlay having to act quickly to snuff out another Motherwell raid. There were few signs that Hearts were getting into gear, and slackness at the back allowed lively Just to break down the right and fire a left-foot shot towards goal which Schwolow mopped up.
Undoubtedly, the Fir Park side looked the most likely to break the deadlock as half-time approached in this dull affair, but home fans were angry when Tawanda Maswanhise ended up on the pitch after a hefty nudge from Harry Milne. They wanted a penalty.
At the other end, industrious Harry Milne found Blair Spittal who fed Cammy Devlin but the Aussie midfielder fired high over the bar from good position just outside the box. A good chance wasted and he didn’t even test the goalkeeper.
Then, Hearts’ defender, Stephen Kingsley, latched on to a ball on the left. He fed Kyziridis who dropped his shoulder and made for the byline before sending a cross into the box but Milne was unable to direct it on goal. Another opportunity spurned.
Referee Kevin Clancey brought the disappointing first half to an end, but there were no changes in personnel at the break and Motherwell continued to keep a tight check on Hearts.
There seemed more urgency about the visitors and Kyziridis fired a left foot shot on goal only to see it deflected for their second corner of the match. They failed to make it count.
At the other end, Maswanhise broke down the left, he checked inside and his right foot cross was pin-point to Just lurking on the edge of the box, but the busy midfielder failed to get enough force behind the ball to really test Hearts’ goalkeeper.
Just made ground again but was dispossessed and Hearts took over possession but they failed to test The Steelmen. Braga, however, won a free-kick near half-way but it failed to threaten on this occasion and Just had to step in as the Portugal-born winger found space.
The Men in Maroon were on a charge but it fizzled out as quickly as it had arrived and head coach Derek McInnes was an animated figure in the dugout area as his men struggled. A Oisin McIntee back heel, however, set up Braga for a cross and it was headed for a corner. Again no reward for Hearts on a chilly Saturday in Lanarkshire.
The Gorgie side dominated possession at this stage but failed to find the killer pass despite switching play. Milne robbed Slattery and the Jambos forced another corner, Milne again took it, this time on the left and Shankland nodded for goal from the far post only to see the ball cleared off the line by a desperate Motherwell defender. It was the nearest Hearts came to scoring.
Seconds later, Maswanhise chipped the Hearts goalkeeper after a swift raid. The Jambos appealed for offside and VAR agreed.
Well then introduced Ibraham Said for Hendry while McIness brought on Tomas Magnusson for Spittal and Christian Borchgrevink to replace McEntee. It was the visitors who drove forward next but Kyziridis failed to deliver.
Too many of his cross balls were mopped up and his driving runs blunted by the determined Motherwell defence.
The home side dug in and Emmanuel Longelo was booked as the clock ticked on and Schwolow kept the scoreline blank with save from Just after he was through on goal and then a diving save to his left to deny Austrian midfielder Lucas Fadinger.
Cammy Devlin was the next player to get his name taken before a Slattery free-kick was deflected off the wall and tipped over by Schwolow who was having a busy spell as Hearts were penned in.
Motherwell made three changes with Apostolos Stamatelopoulos, Regan Charles-Cook and Tom Sparrow coming on and Hearts two, Pierry Landry Kabore and Alan Forrest on, with Braga and Kyziridis off.
Borchgrevink was added to the bad boys list when he was yellow carded in the final minute before officials indicated three additional minutes.
The side failed to break the deadlock but Motherwell can at least look back on a recent run of form which has seen them win four and draw two games.
DENIED: Lawrence Shankland came closest for Hearts at Motherwell. Picture Ian Jacobs
