A hat-trick from Stevie May was not enough to hand St Johnstone victory after a spirited Hearts fightback saw them snatch a point.
May’s treble, his second hat-trick in the space of three weeks, looked to have sealed the points but a remarkable finish saw the visitors somehow earn a draw.
Saints looked to be up against it from the 21st minute when Steven Anderson was shown a straight red card for what referee Brian Colvin deemed to be a ‘last man’ challenge on Hearts’ Dale Carrick.
It was harsh on the home side as defender Frazer Wright appeared to be up with play as Carrick raced through 35 yards from goal.
But May opened the scoring from the penalty spot six minutes before the break when Nigel Hasselbaink was fouled in the area.
The striker doubled the lead four minutes after half-time and, despite a Carrick header making it 2-1 on the hour, May struck again from the spot in 63 minutes.
Then came the late drama.
Sub Sam Nicholson set up a frantic finale by scoring two minutes from time, and Hearts’ Ryan Stevenson and Saints keeper Alan Mannus were both sent off for clashing after the goal.
Nine-man Saints, who had made all three substitutions, were forced to put defender Tam Scobbie in goal and he could only watch as Danny Wilson grabbed a stoppage time equaliser.
It was a blow for the hosts who are looking for a top six finish, while it still seems now a question of when and not if Hearts will be relegated despite the draw.
Meanwhile, the Perth club will be bracing themselves for bad news after Murray Davidson required hospital treatment for what looked like a bad knee injury.
The midfielder Murray Davidson was stretchered off during the first half after appearing to fall awkwardly and was taken to Dundee’s Ninewells Hospital in an ambulance at half-time.
For full coverage and reaction from McDiarmid Park, see Monday’s Courier.