Talking point: Hearts need to find an answer if they want return to Europe

Aberdeen and Rangers dropping points on Saturday, plus Kilmarnock welcoming Celtic to Rugby Park on Sunday afternoon, offered Hearts the perfect chance to get closer to the European spots.
Colin Doyle concedes a stoppage time goal to cost Hearts a result at Fir Park.Colin Doyle concedes a stoppage time goal to cost Hearts a result at Fir Park.
Colin Doyle concedes a stoppage time goal to cost Hearts a result at Fir Park.

Three points at Fir Park would have seen the gap between second and fifth cut to six points with just under a third of the season remaining.

The Capital side started in a positive manner with Jake Mulraney and Sean Clare linking well down the left as the away side looked to impose themselves on a Motherwell team who came into the game having won five on the spin.

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Then the in-form Jake Hastie picked up possession and Christophe Berra backed off. Backed off some more. Then some more and as the Hearts captain took his place in among the away support, the forward cut easily inside onto his left foot and thundered a shot past Colin Doyle.

Craig Levein saw his players respond and went into the interval in the ascendancy following Steven Naismith's excellent equaliser. Yet, after the break, they failed to kick on with the Steelmen edging it in terms of chances before a pair of mistakes handed them the three points.

Ben Garuccio's reckless challenge to concede a free-kick and earn a red card was followed by Colin Doyle providing an ode to ex-Rangers goalkeeper Cammy Bell much to the delight of the home crowd and dismay of those in the away stand and watching on from home.

It was the latest moment in Heart's search to find that fluency and consistency which brought about five wins to start the Premiership campaign and only one defeat in the first 11 league fixtures. Key players have been injured, but now they are returning there is an expectation that the early season form and performances will be picked up once again.

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Since the five-game winning run, Hearts have not bettered two successive wins. There is inconsistency in terms of performances and results with players not slow to hide their frustration with fellow team-mates.

Berra has been on the end of verbal volleys for his passing. Uche Ikpeazu has been so desperate to score he has tried to do too much, holding onto the ball for too long, something which has sat well with Steven Naismith. Plus, there are new individuals in the mix like Sean Clare.

That early season positivity is akin to a group of individuals coming together to create a friendship over a great summer, then after months of not seeing each other they have met up but it is not the same. Some have brought their friends. The conversation is disconnected, no longer flowing. There is an awkwardness. One member of the group goes to speak but no words come out. They are left to stare at their pints trying not to make eye contact.

Levein has almost had to do a mid-season rebuild and reshape, Michael Smith and Demetri Mitchell the latest to take up residency in the injury room.

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A run of Dundee, St Johnstone, Kilmarnock, Livingston, Motherwell and St Mirren was the perfect opportunity for Hearts to put themselves in a strong position among the top four. Ten points is now the best return with the team still sitting fifth, closer to sixth rather than second.

Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen and Hibs are all coming up before the split. Finding that fluency from earlier in the season or simply being hard to beat will need to be uncovered sooner rather than later if the team and fans are to be looking out their passports in the summer.