Hearts came from behind at Tynecastle Park to secure a dramatic 3-3 draw with Motherwell and extend their unbeaten start to the league season.
Strikes either side of half-time from Callum Slattery, Tawanda Maswanhise, and Emmanuel Longelo, looked enough to defeat the Jambos after a disappointing start in Gorgie.
The Jambos didn't back down however, and a sensational goal from Harry Milne was followed by two goals from Claudio Braga as the boys in maroon earned a point from the pulsating encounter.
It wasn't an electric start to proceedings as both sides felt each other out in the opening stanza; Landry Kabore's low effort after ten minutes the only notable maroon chance as the Burkina Faso international watched it drag wide.
Motherwell were next after 18 minutes as the Steelmen worked their way to the edge of the Hearts box - Callum Slattery's curled effort from distance going just over the crossbar before the linesman's flag was raised.
22 minutes saw the opening goal arrive for the visitors; a short corner played to Slattery on the edge of the box culminated in the Englishman's deflected strike sending Zander Clark the wrong way and trickled into the net.
Motherwell went close again after 33 minutes as Apostolos Stamatelopoulous nodded a powerful header downwards towards Clark's goal from the cross - the stopper producing a fine diving stop to deny it - albeit, the linesman's flag went up for offside.
Hearts had a huge chance for an equaliser after towards the end of the half; Cammy Devlin's delivery was brought down by Lawrence Shankland before drilling the ball across goal.
Kabore was in the middle to meet it, but his volley from close range was palmed away by Callum Ward with a fine diving save as the men in maroon looked to mount a response in the second 45.
HT: Heart of Midlothian 0-1 Motherwell
Derek McInnes shuffled the pack after the break, with Kabore and Wilson making way for the introduction of Beni Baningime to the midfield, and Claudio Braga to the Jambos' attacking options.
Matters took another downturn for Hearts as they conceded their second of the afternoon after 49 minutes - Tawanda Maswanhise found himself with acres of space in the area before he turned and drilled a low strike into the bottom corner.
The Steelmen took full advantage of Hearts' stupor to net their third on the hour mark; Stephen O'Donnell's ball forward was threaded across goal to a waiting Emmanuel Longelo, who made the simple task of rolling the ball into the Jambos' net.
Four minutes later, Hearts pulled one back with a spectacular strike, as Braga's deflected attempt spun into the path of a marauding Harry Milne.
Meeting the ball with a sensational hit on the outside of his foot, it sailed into the Motherwell net at breakneck speed to ensure Milne's maiden strike for Hearts was memorable.
There was another twist to the tale after 73 minutes as Hearts reduced the deficit once again; Claudio Braga enduring a nervous VAR check after squeezing a low shot beyond the reach of Calum Ward.
After some initial suspicion of offside in the build up against Braga, the goal stood and Tynecastle roared as the men in maroon began the hunt for an equaliser.
The Jambos were well and truly off the canvas now, and the equaliser was secured after 84 minutes - another spectacular strike from Milne was parried by Calum Ward, with Claudio Braga in like a shot to tuck the ball away.
Motherwell weren't leaving without a fight, and Lukas Fadinger saw his piledriver from distance go just past the post as both sides wrestled for who would have the last word.
The chances were now tumbling from the Gorgie sky, and substitute Alexandros Kyziridis did so well to cut through the Motherwell line and thread in Braga - the Portuguese forward denied a hat-trick by Ward's goalkeeping.
With five minutes of added time to play, Hearts were now chasing a winner, and Braga was so unlucky in added time to not get that third goal, showing brilliant strength to turn and curl towards goal, with Ward producing a spectacular save onto the post.
Sadly, it wasn't to be, and Hearts picked up a valuable Premiership point from a hard fought contest.
Hearts: Clark, Halkett, Shankland, Kabore (Braga 45'), Devlin, Steinwender (Kent 71'), Forrest (Kyziridis 81'), Milne, Findlay, Wilson (Baningime 45'), McEntee (Spittal 68')
Subs: McFarlane, Kent, Kingsley, Baningime, Kabangu, Braga, Spittal, Magnusson, Kyziridis
Motherwell: Ward, O’Donnell, Balmer, Slattery (Said 69'), Stamatelopoulous (Hendry 69'), Fadinger, McGinn, Maswanhise (Osong 80'), Watt, Just (Halliday 90'), Longelo
Subs: Oxborough, Gordon, McGhee, Halliday, Wilson, Osong, Ross, Hendry, Said
Attendance: 18,712
