Hearts inched back to the top of the Scottish Premiership but could only muster a disappointing draw against the league's bottom dwellers Livingston.

It means their lead at the summit, which was three at the beginning of the weekend, has been cut to a single point after Rangers' victory over Dundee United on Saturday.

It could have been worse for Hearts, who finished the game with 10 men. Livingston took a surprise lead in just the fifth minute when Stevie May lashed in from the edge of the box, to stun a 7000-strong away support.

Hearts came back strongly, and it was returning captain Lawrence Shankland who got the equaliser by powering in a header after a brilliant Marc Leonard cross.

Both sides spurned chances to take the lead before the break, Shankland for Hearts and Babacar Fati for Livingston, but they would go in level.

The weather took a turn over half-time and when the sides emerged to a snowstorm, it was the visitors who started in a flurry.

Shankland provided this time, nodding a looping header back across the goalkeeper for talisman Claudio Braga to leap ahead of his defender and put Hearts ahead for the first time.

The advantage only lasted seven minutes though, as slack Hearts play was punished by Livingston, who broke up the pitch and squared the ball for Lewis Smith at the back post.

The sunshine soon broke out again but neither side could break the deadlock, meaning Hearts' title charge has once again been held up on the road - they've not won in their last four away games.

To add insult to injury for Hearts, Marc Leonard was sent off for hauling down Robbie Muirhead as the Livi striker broke clear in the dying seconds.

Hearts head coach Derek McInnes told BBC Scotland: "I'm more disappointed than anybody. We'd done so much to get ourselves in front, and we needed to enjoy being in front a bit more.

"We felt the goal was coming. When we were good, we were very good, we were polished, connected well, looked after it well. At times, we looked like a team at the top of the league.

"But there were too many moments where we were sloppy, anxious in our defending, the gaps were too big between us.

"We can't keep pulling ourselves off the canvas. With half an hour to go, I wanted us to carry a but more of a threat. We've got to remember we're up against a team who are bottom of the league with something to hang on to.

"We needed to hammer home that authority and we missed the opportunity to stay in charge of the game. Psychologically, in terms of giving away a goal, was we gave them a boost.

"Both goals were so poor to lose, not the type we ordinarily lose. Our combination play was good, we had plenty possession and shots, but behind all that, there was too many wee moments where we were guilty of giving up good opportunities.

"We go a point clear with six games to go. People need to remember that, I'm trying to keep myself in check with that. It's a missed opportunity today.

"We have to be honest and say a point is all we deserved, and it might be a really important point come the end of the season, so we're not going to get too hung up on it."

Livingston boss Marvin Bartley said: "I'm delighted with the players. They dealt with adversity really well today.

"When Hearts went ahead, we had to show some character and we did that in abundance. The subs came on and improved us, made us more solid and caused them problems.

"We have to hit these heights every week. Where we end up at the end of the season is where we deserve to be.

"We have to go again and do it next week. It's the most difficult thing in football, to have consistency, but we need to show it now.

"The mindset today was good, they went out and did what they need to do. Good teams and good players bounce back, and we showed that today."

Four away games without a victory for Hearts. It's hardly title-winning form.

When pundits and fans alike looked at the final four games before the split, the consensus was Hearts had the easier run in. In reality, they've spluttered towards the finish.

In the last four away games, they've lost to two bottom six sides, drawn with the bottom side, and capitulated at Ibrox after going ahead.

Nothing summed up the lack of confidence more than the play in the final minute of the match.

With Livingston retreating, Hearts knocked the ball from side to side, no player confident enough to put a ball in the box.

Instead, Livingston stole the ball and Leonard was sent off.

That came after half an hour where Livingston looked more likely to score the winner.

Once Braga had scored, Hearts' creativity completely dissipated. Shankland had done his utmost to drag his side back into the game, but it was only his first start since January and he clearly tired.

And, as shown when Shankland was out of the team with injury, there are few players capable of stepping up and filling the enormous void the captain leaves when not available.

It was a brave performance from Livingston though. But brave isn't enough. They've had creditable draws against Rangers and now Hearts, but it won't save them.

Thirty games without a win is the worst ever record in the Scottish topflight, in the same season. They must now be looking at the record low points total (21) that Dundee set in 2018-19 with envy.

And in these brave results, it befudles and confounds that they have done so poorly. In Lewis Smith, they have a dangerous goal threat. In Mo Sylla, they have a midfielder capable of breaking up the play.

They out-foxed Hearts, the novice Bartley against the experience of McInnes, flooding the midfield. At times, they relied on wayward shooting from the visitors but as the stats show, they matched Hearts over the course of the 90 minutes.

Livingston travel to Dundee United next Saturday, while Hearts host Motherwell at the same time (15:00 BST).