MOTHERWELL and Hearts played out a gripping encounter that saw both teams have to settle for a 2-2 draw.

The hosts went into this Ladbrokes Premiership game on the back of two straight defeats and manager Mark McGhee will have been partly pleased his team managed to steady the ship that has been struggling to get a result.

Having said that, Well had more than enough chances to take all three points from this game rather than just the one that leaves them second bottom in the standings, even though they stretch the gap over bottom-placed Dundee United to seven points.

For Hearts, who saw Juanma and Osman Sow cancel out strikes from Louis Moult and Marvin Johnson, they now sink to third as Aberdeen's victory over Ross County sees them jump into second.

Motherwell flew out of the traps and were a goal up within the first two minutes. It could have been even earlier when Louis Moult latched on to a short Blazej Augustyn pass back, only for Neil Alexander to rush out and clear in time.

However, the opener did arrive just a few seconds later. A whipped cross from Johnson to the back post was contested by Alexander and Well’s Moult, with the Hearts goalkeeper fumbling the ball in the challenge. It allowed the Fir Park forward the easiest of tasks to prod the ball into the net from a yard out for his eighth of the season.

It was a purple patch and a bright start that was wiped out by the 10-minute mark. A long ball forward from the visitors was not dealt with and this indecision allowed Osman Sow to feed the ball through to Juanma. The Spaniard seized his opportunity by darting into the box and dinking a delicate shot over Connor Ripley to level.

After 13 minutes it could have been two for the visitors, again through slack play at the back from Motherwell. Centre-half Kieran Kennedy was far too easily outmuscled by Sow who then raced in on goal, only for Ripley to spread himself well and block the Hearts forward’s shot from close range.

The on-loan Middlesbrough shot stopper earned his money again after half an hour with a tremendous stop to deny Callum Paterson. Danny Swanson’s deep free-kick to the back post was met by the head of his team-mate, but Ripley reacted superbly to claw the ball away before his defence eventually scrambled the ball clear.

His opposite number was also kept busy and leapt to Hearts’ rescue just seconds later. Marvin Johnson burst into the box on the overlap to fizz in a low cross that McDonald flicked towards goal. Alexander somehow managed to get something on the ball to leave it spinning along the line only for it to eventually be hacked clear.

He also saved a Johnson shot straight at him moments later that the Motherwell winger should have done much better with.

As the game moved into the second half the torrential rain that was battering Fir Park did little to sweep away the swashbuckling play on show, particularly from the hosts who looked determined not to let another three points slip away. McDonald was the tormentor in chief, being frustrated twice in the space of two minutes as Well looked to pounce on a shaky Hearts defence.

Motherwell were not to be denied a second for much longer. The Australian was at the centre of the home side’s second on 66 minutes when he was hacked down just inside the opposing half. Referee Steven McLean played on with Johnson rampaging towards goal, jinking inside then back out before smashing a fine shot beyond Alexander from 12 yards.

While Motherwell’s first lead lasted seven minutes, their second survived the deluge for just four. There seemed little threat when Sow first collected the ball 35 yards. He was allow to set himself, stride forward and smash the ball at goal, only to watch it fly straight over the top of Ripley and into the roof of the net in front of a jubilant and sizeable Hearts support.

It seemed to rally the Tynecastle outfit who began to pen their hosts back in search of the goal that would keep them second in the standings. They must have thought they had grabbed it on 82 minutes when the ball broke to Sow in the box, But Ripley pulled of a fine reaction save to keep it out. The rebound fell to Sam Nicholson with the goal gaping, it stayed that way as his effort flew high over the bar.