Resilient Hearts came from behind to grab a share of the spoils against sloppy Hibernian in a pulsating Edinburgh derby at Easter Road.

A Derek Riordan strike after 24 minutes gave the Leith side a deserved 1-0 half-time lead but the visitors rallied and in the 55th minute they equalised through Paul Hartley, who knocked a Graham Weir pass in from close range.

However, in a typically hard-fought derby match which swung from end to end, the home side finished the stronger, missing several sitters with Garry O'Connor and substitute Sam Morrow the chief culprits.

Despite their late pressure the home side just could not find the winning goal to stretch their lead over Hearts to 12 points in the Bank of Scotland Premier League table.

The home side bossed the midfield from the outset and in the fifth minute Stephen Glass' shot from 16 yards was pushed out by Jambos goalkeeper Craig Gordon.

Hearts almost took the lead in bizarre circumstances in the 19th minute when a long, aimless free-kick by Andy Webster from inside his own half almost bounced over the hesitant Simon Brown, who managed to quickly turn and gather before the ball reached the goal.

The home side forged ahead five minutes later thanks to Riordan's 13th goal of the season.

Glass put a foot in to rob Jambos midfielder Hartley, the ball spun up and O'Connor played a headed one-two with team-mate Dean Shiels.

The Hibs striker's wayward shot from the edge of the box struck Shiels and the ball dropped fortuitously to the feet of the alert Riordan, who wasted no time in slamming the ball past Gordon from the 14 yards out.

The visitors came close in the 40th minute when a Phil Stamp drive from 25 yards was held at the second attempt by Brown.

Hearts started the second half strongly and Hartley should have equalised when he got on the end of a Weir cross from the right but somehow he headed over the crossbar from close range.

In the 55th minute, 60 seconds after O'Connor had blazed a shot carelessly over Gordon's crossbar, the visitors broke up the pitch and got the equaliser their pressure deserved.

Hearts defender Robbie Neilson fed Weir on the right-hand side and when the Jambos striker knocked the ball in to Hartley the Scotland Future player made no mistake this time from close range.

Neilson then fired in a free-kick from wide on the right which deceived Brown but bounced off the far post and away before Stamp brought out a decent save from the Hibs keeper with a low 25-yard drive.

Hearts looked the most likely to grab the next goal but in the 72nd minute it was Hibs substitute Morrow who missed an incredible chance to put the home side back in front.

When Riordan's cross came in from left the young Hibs striker was unmarked six yards from goal but his header was brilliantly saved by Gordon who clawed the ball away.

The unfortunate Morrow again missed a sitter moments later when he slipped six yards out and sent another Riordan cross past the post.

Hibs were looking dangerous and in the 84th minute it was O'Connor's turn to miss an open goal when he somehow knocked Riordan's cross over as honours ended even.

Teams

Hibernian Simon Brown, Whittaker, Caldwell, Murray, Murphy, Orman (Morrow 45), Rocastle, Shiels, Glass, Riordan, O'Connor.

Subs Not Used: Alistair Brown, Smith, Dobbie, Fletcher, McCluskey, Shields.

Booked: Glass, Murray.

Goals: Riordan 24.

Hearts Gordon, Neilson, Pressley (Berra 90), Webster, Maybury, Stamp (McAllister 76), Hartley, MacFarlane, Hamill, Weir, de Vries (McKenna 79).

Subs Not Used: Moilanen, Wyness, Pereira, Janczyk.

Booked: Stamp, Hartley, McAllister.

Goals: Hartley 55.

Att: 17,259

Ref: D McDonald (Scotland).