Hearts 2 Kilmarnock 2

Steven Naismith grabbed his first goal for Kilmarnock to keep their Tennent's Scottish Cup dream alive.

The substitute netted in the last minute to set up a replay against Hearts on February 16.

Hearts had taken the lead through Dennis Wyness but Colin Nish drew Kilmarnock level, before Lee Miller fired the Jambos ahead again on the stroke of half-time.

Just when Hearts thought they would be able to hold on for a place in the quarter-finals, they were hit by a late sucker-punch from Naismith.

Hearts had already been dumped out of the CIS Insurance Cup this week following an epic semi-final against Motherwell which was decided by a last-minute extra-time winner, and head coach John Robertson was determined not to complete an unwanted double.

They got off to a better start this time and were ahead with just 16 minutes on the clock.

Saulius Mikoliunas started the move when he played the ball through to Robbie Neilson and it was his cross which set up Wyness for the header from six yards.

Hearts could have added to their lead a few minutes later when David Lilley was booked for a foul on Miller, and the challenge almost proved costly for Kilmarnock when Paul Hartley's resultant free-kick was only just tipped over the crossbar by goalkeeper Alan Combe.

Only the woodwork prevented Wyness from grabbing his second of the day when his curling effort struck the post.

Killie drew level after 25 minutes.

Dreadful defending was to blame when Allan Johnston was allowed to pick out the unmarked Nish on the six-yard line and all that was required from the tall striker was to nod home from close range.

But Kilmarnock suffered a setback when Nish was forced out of the game five minutes before half-time.

He had his right wrist strapped up earlier in the game but the injury had clearly become more of a worry and he was replaced by Kris Boyd.

Boyd almost had an immediate impact on the tie when he was involved in a goal-mouth scramble and tried to stab the ball home, but Webster managed to clear the effort off the line.

Instead it was Hearts who found the back of the net again when Hartley embarked on a mazy run before releasing Miller into the box and he left Combe with no chance with a powerful point-blank shot in first-half injury time.

Kilmarnock were unfortunate not to draw level again soon after the re-start.

Peter Leven sent an inviting corner into the box but Lilley was just off target with the header from a few yards.

Kilmarnock boss Jefferies made a double substitution just after the hour mark when Gary Locke and Danny Invincibile were replaced by Naismith and Stephen Murray.

Hartley should have killed the tie off when Mikoliunas released him beyond the Kilmarnock defence and he only had Combe to beat.

The Hearts midfielder must have thought his shot was goalbound, but the Kilmarnock goalkeeper managed to touch the ball wide at full stretch.

If the last 15 minutes were nail-biting stuff for Hearts, then it was largely down to the heroics of Combe who was pulling out all the stops to keep his side in with a chance.

Wyness took a shot at goal, but he was no match for the goalkeeper who dived to his right to punch clear at the near post.

Instead it was Hearts who were hit against the run of play when Kilmarnock grabbed their equaliser in the last minute.

A Combe free-kick was headed by Boyd into the path of Naismith who sent a right-footed drive past goalkeeper Craig Gordon to set up a replay.

Teams

Hearts Gordon, Neilson, Pressley, Webster, Wallace, Mikoliunas (Hamill 74), Simmons (MacFarlane 83), Hartley, McAllister, Wyness (Burchill 78), Miller.

Subs Not Used: Moilanen, Thorarinsson.

Booked: McAllister, Pressley, Hartley.

Goals: Wyness 16, Miller 45.

Kilmarnock Combe, Ford, Lilley, Fontaine, Hay, Johnston, McDonald, Locke (Naismith 62), Leven, Nish (Boyd 38), Invincibile (Murray 62).

Subs Not Used: Smith, Fowler.

Booked: Lilley, Johnston, Leven.

Goals: Nish 25, Naismith 89.

Att: 10,308

Ref: J Rowbotham (Scotland).

Taken from sportinglife.com