Ross County score to make it 2-1SNS
Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

Jordan White's 99th-minute tap-in rescued an "incredible" draw for Ross County as they scored two goals in two injury-time minutes against relegation-troubled Hearts.

A goal in each half from 17-year-old striker James Wilson looked like giving Hearts a valuable win as the capital club looked to bounce back from derby defeat.

However, they found a way to throw away three valuable points.

First, they failed to clear a corner and Joshua Nisbet fired in from close range before it got even worse for Neil Critchley's woebegone side.

A long lash forward was not dealt with by Craig Gordon, with the ball falling kindly for White to stab in and deliver a gut punch to hapless Hearts.

"It was incredible," Don Cowie told BBC Scotland. "It was a really difficult game, another challenging day weather-wise. We gave Hearts the initiative early on which allowed them to play with freedom and confidence.

"We did the exact same at the start of the second-half and it was real mountain to climb and we weren't creating many opportunities.

"The boys showed great character. They kept going. Credit to my team for going right until the end when we maybe didn't deserve a point. At this stage, we don't care."

Despite missing captain Lawrence Shankland with a calf strain, it took Hearts just 79 seconds to open the scoring as Wilson was put clean through by Liam Boyce - Shankland's replacement - with the teenager firing under the keeper.

It took them a little longer to find the back of the net in the second half - 126 seconds to be precise. This time, James Penrice flew down the left and hung up a cross which Wilson glanced home.

The striker thought he had a chance to become the first 17-year-old to score a top-flight hat-trick when Hearts were awarded a penalty and he snatched the ball.

However, VAR intervened and asked referee Ross Hardie to have another look at Michee Efete's foul on Penrice, which was adjudged to have started outside the area.

VAR would help rule out a third Hearts' goal with 10 minutes left.

Blair Spittal curled a free-kick off the crossbar and Boyce tapped in, but he was a yard offside when the set piece was taken.

Then County delivered their double blow to leave both sides were they started the day in the table - County 10th and Hearts 11th.

Hearts unravel in space of 120 seconds

If you hadn't followed Hearts this season, you'd have thought with 95 minutes gone and the Gorgie side 2-0 up, they'd probably comfortably see it out.

As soon as County showed any attacking intent - which amounted to throwing bodies forward - Hearts looked capable of collapse.

Collapse they did, calamitously. When Nisbet scored, there was a feeling County would get another and it was Gordon who would gift them the goal.

This was all despite a decent performance for 95 minutes. Jorge Grant impressed on a rare start, as did Boyce. Wilson was unlucky not to score three.

Gordon had rarely been troubled, with a makeshift defence in front of him that had repelled everything thrown at it. Beni Baningime kept things ticking nicely in midfield and James Penrice gave his usual strong performance.

But the nervous capitulation had an inevitability about it that has fans genuinely fearful of relegation.

Neil Critchley has an enormous job on his hands to stop Hearts hurtling towards the trap door and to convince fans - and his superiors - that he is the man for the job.

County show Hearts the exact grit required

It might be no surprise to see a club with the budget the size of County's down the bottom of the Premiership, but it should also come as no surprise that they're showing the grit required to survive.

They've been in this position before and they know they've got another fight on their hands, but it's points like this that might just save them.

They were down and out in the 95th minute, but they sensed weakness and, after Nisbet's goal, smelled blood.

Moments like these provide timely reminders that they won't say die, they can pull something from nothing, and take points off those around them.

What they said

'Crazy two minutes' cost Hearts - Critchley

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