Late equaliser earns Hearts 2-2 draw against Kilmarnock in Premiership clash

Hearts have scored a late equaliser to earn a draw after being two goals down to Kilmarnock on Sunday afternoon.

Nathaniel Atkinson scored the vital goal as the visitors fought back from being 2-0 down after an hour in an entertaining game at Rugby Park.

Kyle Lafferty looked as though he had sealed the three points for Kilmarnock when he put them two goals up with half an hour to go but Atkinson’s 94th minute volley was enough to secure a point after Humphries brought one back.

Lafferty put Kilmarnock 2-0 up at Rugby Park. SNS Group

Lafferty, who could be facing a ten-match ban after allegedly using a sectarian slur during a dispute with a Celtic fan that was filmed and posted online last month, scored in his first start for Derek McInnes’s side since a 2-1 win over Motherwell on August 27.

Robbie Neilson’s men knew they would jump up to fourth in the league with a win at Rugby Park in the Sunday afternoon kick-off but they will now remain fifth and a point behind St Mirren.

Chris Stokes opened the scoring to give Kilmarnock the lead just after half-time following an eventful, but scoreless, first half.

Chris Stokes makes it 1-0 to Kilmarnock at Rugby Park. SNS Group

Lafferty then made it 2-0 around ten minutes later following a rare mistake from Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon as the Northern Ireland forward took advantage to double the home side’s lead.

Killie recently fined the 35-year-old Norther Ireland forward over the video confrontation, that took place when he was on international duty, and he now faces a Scottish Football Association tribunal on October 20 having been accused of not acting in the best interests of football, with a 10-game ban possible.

Hearts got one back almost right away when Snodgrass played a through ball to Stephen Humphries who rounded the goalkeeper and slotted it into the net to make it 2-1 with half an hour remaining of the game.

The visitors had most of the possession following their goal, but Killie restricted to them to few chances as they looked to see out the win.

And just when the home fans thought they had done enough the Australian right-back volleyed home a spectacular effort with the last touch of the game to make it 2-2.