Hearts dropped two points as the business end of the season comes to a conclusion, and the Tynecastle team also lost two key men through injury, Craig Halkett and Marc Leonard.
But the Men in Maroon showed character again to earn a point, coming from behind again in a rough, tough clash at fired-up Fir Park.
The Jambos may claim Alexandros Kyziridis was felled in the box, but the match referee waved away all penalty claims and Hearts are four points clear with the Old Firm clashing at Parkhead on Sunday.
Earlier, Derek McInnes (pictured) made two changes, Atena and Spittal coming in, the ex-Motherwell man making his 400th league appearance, in a bid to snuff out the Motherwell midfield, and their rivals, celebrating their 140th anniversary, made three after their narrow defeat at Falkirk.
Schwolow was forced to make an early save from a Slattery header, the German diving to his left, and at the other end, the ball broke to Altena whose shot was parried by goalkeeper Ward but the ball landed at the feet of Shankland. His shot looked goal bound before O’Donnell came from nowhere to block.
The pace was unrelenting and Just was booked for a heavy challenge on Altena then Motherwell’s star man, Maswanhise, blasted over from a good position on the edge of the box.
The Jambos were moving the ball from side to side on the Fir Park pitch but were struggling to break through the home defence, and The Steelmen were always dangerous on the break with Just pulling the strings.
Welsh had a sight of goal from a corner but headed wide as the action raged on before a packed house of 12,306 in Lanarkshire, including 4,734 supporters from Edinburgh.
Findlay was felled by a hefty challenge but recovered and seconds later Motherwell were ahead. The ball broke down the right, a Watt pass takes out Halkett and Maswanhise back-heeled to Longelo. He crossed hard and low with his left foot into the box before the ball was bundled home at the near post off Kingsley who was under pressure. Time 25 minutes.
The Jam Tarts responded and Findlay broke down the left to win a corner. Motherwell survived but Kingsley was down after a boot caught him in the face. He received lengthy treatment before resuming.
The home side continued to press the Jambos in all areas of the pitch and Hearts struggled to break out of their own half as Motherwell held the initiative and the Edinburgh side’s strikers, Braga and Shankland, were starved of the ball.
They were living on scraps and the visitors were not moving the ball quickly enough. They were sluggish and their attacks lacked creativity. Too many passes were across and behind and the home defence looked comfortable as they dropped deep.
Spittal tried a long ball into the box but it was dealt with but Kingsley sparked an opening. Braga took over, then Spittal, then Leonard and Baningime. A cross from Kingsley found Steinwender who showed great technique to shoot from an angle. The ball rebounded off Ward’s outstretched arms and Shankland stayed calm, taking the pace off before lashing it home.
The goalkeeper will be disappointed but the Jambos fans behind the other goal were elated. VAR intervened but the agonising wait was over when the referee pointed to the centre spot. Time 43 minutes, a great time to level.
No wonder the Hearts bench rushed from the dugout. Cue the chant, Heart of Midlothian, as their heroes ended the half, after four minutes of added time, on a real high. Leonard was down this time, after a joust with Just, and Devlin warmed up on the sidelines.
Leonard was helped from the pitch with what appeared to be a damaged ankle and half time was signalled then McInnes sprung a surprise when he sent on Alexandros Kyziridis to replace the midfielder, giving the visitors more attacking edge.
The Greek forward immediately won a corner on the right. Kingsley came across to take it but it failed to threaten. In the breakdown, Steinwender was booked for a challenge and he stayed on the pitch despite a VAR intervention.
It all became scrappy, but O’Donnell stabbed the ball home from close range after a slick move by Well but the flag went up as the former Scotland defender had move a fraction too quickly. A warning, perhaps?
Altena was next to receive a yellow card for a crunching tackle on Watt and then Halkett required attention after a tackle by Just. Kent warmed up on the sidelines as the stretcher was carried onto the field for the former Livingston defender.
O’Donnell threatened with a header as Hearts re-grouped after the Halkett substitution and Shankland tried from long-range, a fairly hopeful shot, then the striker had a shot on the turn blocked for a corner.
Then controversy. Kyziridis was injured in the box during after a heavy challenge. Referee Steven McLean stopped the match for a VAR check and he went to the pitch side monitor. Relief for Motherwell, no penalty and Paul Sheeran, Hearts’ assistant, was shown the yellow card seconds later.
From a free-kick, Kingsley had a chance but swung wildly at the ball and Motherwell cleared. However, it was all Hearts at this point, and Kabore was sent on to replace Braga, who had failed to make a real impression on the match, as McInnes went for the win.
Kyziridis won another corner on the right. Kingsley goes short to Altena who sent the ball into the danger area but seconds alter Kabore tested Ward with a fierce shot. Spittal then drove to the line to collect a loose ball and chipped the ball back to Kyziridis but the Greek sent his weak header wide of the far post. A glorious chance gone.
Said was replaced by Koutroumbis and McInnes gambled on the fitness of Devlin by preparing to send the combative Aussie into the fray. Findlay then received a yellow card for a foul on super-sharp Just before Devlin made his appearance along with Jamie McCart for Kingsley. Devlin came on for Kingsley.
Kyziridis won a corner as the tension increased. Kingsley was again on duty and the move broke down. Well raced up field and Motherwell claimed a penalty when Maswanhise went down in the box and referee McLean said no and so did VAR.
Maswanhise then raced upfield again and shot well wide before the home side made further substitutions. It was frantic at Fir Park and Kabore gave away a free-kick when in a good position.
Minutes later, Maswahise’s evening was over and so was Just’s as Hendry and Charles-Cook made their appearance.
The clock ticked down as O’Donnell launched a long throw into the Hearts box before eight minutes of added time were signalled.
McCart then sent a long throw into the box which came to nothing, before the cameras pictured Leonard at the mouth of the tunnel in crutches.
Is it all going wrong for the Jambos? The final whistle went with the game deadlocked. Hearts now face Falkirk at Tynecastle on Wednesday. Well host Celtic
