Sunday April 5th 2026
Hearts had seven thousand fans at Livingston's Set Fare Arena.
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Adam Bowen
Title challengers versus bottom of the league today as Hearts travelled to play Livingston hoping to get themselves back at the top of the table.
A surprise start to the game, as in the fifth minute a Livingston cross led to a shot, which Hearts managed to block before the ball fell to May who drilled it into the bottom corner from just outside the 18-yard box.
Hearts didn’t let this affect them, and with the support of the seven thousand away fans they managed to capitalise twenty minutes later. Following a terrible clearance from Montano giving the ball straight to Leonard who delivered a great ball in, which the returning Shankland headed home.
Both teams were still in the game for the rest of the half.
However, just five minutes into the second half Kyziridis worked it well down the left, delivering a ball to the back post where Shankland headed the ball goalwards, blocked by Montano, the ball stayed in the air with Shankland heading the ball back into the six yard box where Braga leapt, heading the ball into the back of the net.
Just over five minutes later, Montano the player at fault for the first Hearts goal, made a great run down the left, receiving the ball he played a great low ball to Nouble on the edge of the six yard box however he got terrible contact on it but luckily for him it fell to Smith who powered the ball into the back of the net with Kinglsey unable to block it off the line.
The joyous away supporters who have had a great season were silenced. Nerves around the stadium as both teams had numerous chances with a huge opportunity coming at the very end of the game. Livingston’s Muirhead took a lovely touch around Leonard on the halfway line and he would have run on to have a one-on-one against Schwolow but Leonard smartly hugged the Livingston number 9, leading to a free kick and a yellow card. However, the Livingston fans were outraged that there was not a red card. They got their wish in the end as referee Clancy was told to go to the monitor by VAR, leading to him change the yellow card to a red one.
In the end the game ended 2-2 with numerous chances for both teams to win it, however, neither could.
Derek McInnes reflecting on the game said that Hearts ‘were good at spells’ but ‘equally poor at times.’ However, the Hearts boss said that they are ‘still in a strong position [in the league]’ but that when they go away from home they’re going to have to ‘defend a lot better’ than they did today, saying that to achieve what they want to achieve they’re going to ‘have to get wins on the road.’
Marvin Bartley, whose team is in a completely different position, said that he thought the ‘boys were great today’ and looked more likely to get the winner. He went on to say how he was ‘proud’ of the players to go on and find the equaliser, considering Hearts are top of the league with 7,000 travelling fans. He gave a special mention to Montano, saying that despite his mistake during Hearts’ first goal, he kept going and created the second goal for Livingston.
This evening, Hearts sit one point clear at the top of the table with one more game to be played before the split. It’s all to play for!
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