Roman Bednar had a confrontation with Falkirk's Kenny Milne

Roman Bednar and Saulius Mikoliunas both went close early on for Hearts, looking to bounce back from their midweek Champions League defeat.

But veteran Russell Latapy was controlling midfield for the Bairns.

And Pedro Moutinho missed a couple of chances that could have given the visitors victory in a stormy match.

Julien Brellier had recovered from illness to return to Hearts' midfield in place of recent signing Hristos Karipidis.

Tom Scobbie came into the Falkirk defence in place of Vitor Lima as they sought to retain their 100% record.

And Hearts almost immediately came close to a breakthrough against the new back-line after Bednar robbed Karl Dodd.

But goalkeeper Scott Higgins deflected the Czech striker's 16-yard angled drive wide.

Falkirk applied some pressure of their own, but it was Bednar who threatened again, flashing a 20-yard drive inches past Higgins' right-hand post.

Dodd deflected Mikoliunas' goal-bound drive from 12 yards for a corner.

Moutinho missed a good chance to grab the opener at the other end by mis-kicking from 12 yards out.

An off-the-ball incident between Bednar and Kenny Milne resulted in play being stopped and the home support was angered to see the Falkirk midfielder receive only a yellow card.

Higgins blocked an angled drive by Michal Pospisil, while Falkirk's Scobbie just failed to make contact with a Patrick Cregg corner.

Falkirk manager John Hughes confronting Bednar and Pospisil at half-time and was sent to the stand by referee John Underhill for the second 45 minutes.

And Hearts' power began to tell after the break.

Mikoliunas arrowed a drive from the edge of the Falkirk area that was deflected past for a corner.

But Moutinho responded with a snap-shot from 25 yards that goalkeeper Craig Gordon did well to clutch to his body.

The Edinburgh side should have taken the lead when Pospisil headed straight at Higgins from 10 yards and Bednar fired just over in the dying seconds.

But the Bairns held out for the draw to remain equal on points with the table-topping Tynecastle men.

Hearts: Gordon, Neilson, Pressley, Berra, Fyssas, Mikoliunas, Aguiar, Brellier (Beslija 60), McCann (Elliot 80), Pospisil (Jankauskas 67), Bednar. Subs Not Used: Banks, Makela, Wallace, Karipidis.

Falkirk: Higgins, Ross, Barr, Dodd, Milne, Scobbie, Cregg, Latapy, Craig, Moutinho, Gow. Subs Not Used: Lambers, Lima, Thomson, O'Donnell, Twaddle, Rodrigues, McStay.

Booked: Barr, Milne, Higgins.

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