Hearts defender Jamie McCart scored two own goals to help Rangers to a much-needed 3-1 William Hill Premiership win at Tynecastle.
Pressure on Philippe Clement intensified following the dismal home Scottish Gas Scottish Cup defeat to Championship side Queen’s Park last Sunday and his side got a break in the 20th minute when defender McCart could do little about putting the ball into his own net from a Ianis Hagi cross.
Gers keeper Jack Butland kept the home side at bay in the first half with a string of saves, three in particular from Jambos striker Elton Kabangu, but Austrian defender Michael Steinwender scored his first Jambos goal on his home debut when he headed in from a corner in the 49th minute.
However, Czech winger Vaclav Cerny restored the visitors’ lead in the 61st minute and McCart, who signed from Rotherham at the start of January, put into his own net again 12 minutes later to cut Celtic’s lead over the Light Blues at the top of the league to 13 points.
The home side suffering their first defeat in nine matches, although they will feel the outcome could have been so much different.
Around 650 travelling fans were looking for some sort of positive response from their side following their cup embarrassment. Midfielder Tom Lawrence made his first start since November with John Souttar, Clinton Nsiala, Nicolas Raskin and Butland returning.
Hearts enjoyed a let-off in the second minute when former Jambos defender Souttar drove a cross from Hagi past veteran keeper Craig Gordon only to see the offside flag raised.
Hearts almost took the lead in the 17th minute when Kabangu, the 27-year-old on loan from Belgian club Union St Gilloise, was able to fire off a shot from 14 yards but Butland made a crucial save and the visitors survived.
Hagi was involved in Rangers’ opener, taking a pass from Cerny down the left and drilling in a cross which was tipped by Gordon on to the helpless McCart who turned the ball into his own net.
Moments later, Butland made another save from Kabangu’s strike and the Gorgie attacker then missed another golden chance when he failed to beat the Gers keeper from 16 yards.
Butland tipped a long-distance dipping volley from Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland over his goal, with McCart heading the corner over the bar.
Gordon saved another drive from Raskin just before the break and then had to react quickly to prevent McCart scoring another own goal, from a Hamza Igamane header which came off him.
The home side wasted little time in drawing level after the break, forcing a corner which James Penrice floated on to the head of Steinwender who glanced a header past Butland.
The Gorgie side pressed further and Kabangu hesitated when presented with an opportunity at the back post and was smothered out.
At the other end, Cerny curled a shot from the edge of the box inches wide of Gordon’s right-hand side but he made no mistake when Igamane’s drive came off Adam Forrester and into his path, dispatching the ball past Gordon – with the home fans still complaining about a penalty appeal ignored seconds earlier when Gers defender Nsiala clashed with James Wilson inside the box.
As Hearts came back again, Butland made further saves from Steinwender, Kabangu and substitute Sander Kartume but McCart again put the ball into his own net, trying to thwart Gers substitute Cyriel Dessers latching on to a Hagi pass.
Dessers then finished confidently from another Hagi pass but was ruled offside and there were chances at both ends before full-time.
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