Hearts 2-2 Hamilton: Daniel Stendel's side rescue point against 10-man Accies

Hearts salvaged a precious Scottish Premiership point as a late onslaught completed a two-goal comeback against 10-man Hamilton.

The top-flight's bottom side recovered from conceding a Marios Ogkmpoe double, Jamie Walker and Craig Halkett's 87th-minute strike coming to the rescue.

Accies defender Jamie Hamilton was sent off for handball on 21 minutes.

Hearts sit a point adrift of Hamilton, who are two points off St Mirren in the relegation play-off place.

• Reaction & as it happened

Stendel survives the storm

Storm Dennis arrived just in time for kick-off, but Hearts were hit by a Hamilton hurricane with just five minutes on the clock. Scott Martin burst forward beyond the Hearts backline before playing a pass into the path of Ogkmpoe.

The striker, who seems to reserve his league goals for the bigger sides in the Premiership, looked offside but the flag stayed down and the Greek striker fired home to stun Tynecastle.

Hearts looked in disarray. Daniel Stendel bellowed instructions from the sidelines but his side were disjointed and unsure of themselves.

Ogkmpoe would make them pay again when he picked himself up from being felled unceremoniously in the box by Sean Clare and stroked home the penalty as the Hearts fans watched on in horror.

Hamilton - Jamie Hamilton - threw the home side a lifeline when the young defender was the last man and handled the ball, with Hearts striker Liam Boyce breathing down his neck. Referee Kevin Clancy showed him the red card.

Inevitably Hearts began to have more of the ball. Luke Southwood saved superbly to keep out an Uche Ikpeazu header, a Steven Naismith header went just wide and an Ikpeazu shot was deflected over the bar by Scott McMann.

The opening 16 minutes were painful viewing for Hearts manager Daniel Stendel but his team battled hard to earn a point

Hearts stormed the Hamilton defences three minutes after the restart.

Aaron Hickey found Naismith and his quick pass picked out Walker who drove towards goal to finish from 14 yards.

Southwood was the Hamilton hero in the dreadful wind and rain, keeping out an effort from Walker, and when Naismith tried a follow-up Southwood was there again to snuff out the danger.

Boyce angled a low shot which was deflected wide as Hamilton defended with their lives - Alex Gogic marshalling his men valiantly in the face of incessant Hearts attacks.

Eventually Hearts would find the leveller, Halkett heading home as the stadium erupted.

Hamilton survived Hearts' late assault as the hosts pushed for a winner with the boos ringing out around Tynecastle once more.

Man of the match - Alex Gogic

It has to go to an Accies player after they played the majority of this game with 10 men.

It would be simple to give it to Ogkmpoe, but in these truly horrendous conditions the heroes were at the back for Hamilton.

Southwood deserves praise for doing so much in awful conditions to keep Hearts out.

But it goes to Alex Gogic. A real unsung hero, he was superb - shouting and organising and getting his head to everything to help his side escape Tynecastle with what could be a vital point.

'If it was 11 v 11 we would have won' - reaction

Hearts manager Daniel Stendel: "We started very badly. The mentality and the fight in the second half was great but our game was not good enough. What was really, really good today was the fans in the stand.

"It was two easy mistakes and every small chance is a goal at the moment against us. We are all down today.

"When we talked with the players in the last couple of days, the feeling in the squad you'd say was 100% we would win this game today. The players said they wanted to do well and we had the confidence to play against Hamilton and take our responsibility.

"The problem is not in the legs, it's in the head. We never give up."

Hamilton assistant manager Guillaume Beuzelin: "Of course I am proud of the performance we put in today, especially with 10 men. It was brilliant to see.

"Unfortunately we didn't hold on for the win - if it was 11 v 11 we would have won that game.

(On Jamie Hamilton's red card) "It was one of those - was it intentional or unintentional? If the referee calls it as intentional then he is the last defender and rules are rules. It is a tough lesson for the boy but as a club we have to pick him back up again because he is a massive prospect for us."