Stevenson says Hearts showed their finest to come back from defeat

RYAN STEVENSON believes Hearts showed a return to their finest form with an inspired second-half performance in the 1-1 draw with Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Saturday.

Having lost an early goal to Aaron Doran, Stephen Elliott's equaliser shortly after the interval sparked a rousing peformance from the Edinburgh club who created a series of scoring chances. By full-time, Stevenson felt aggrieved at leaving the Highlands with only one point instead of three.

"I think Inverness had the better of the first half and we possibly had the better of the second. I think with the chances we had in the second half, myself having most of them, we're a bit disappointed not to come away with three points which we needed," said the former Ayr United midfielder.

"We knew it was going to be physical. Inverness are a physical side. Don't get me wrong, they play good football as well but you know first and foremost they are going to give you a game.

"We never really turned up in the first half in that respect. They were much the better team. The manager said at half-time that we had to buck up our ideas and luckily enough we did that in the second half. In the end up, we feel a bit disappointed that we never left with three points."

Three goal-line clearances during the game prompted debate as to whether either side should have been awarded a second goal, however Stevenson stressed the importance of avoiding defeat.

"Inverness thought theirs was over the line and I had a header that was cleared from behind the line as well, it's six and half a dozen really.

"Inverness think they should have had a goal and we think we should have had one. These things even themselves out. If it was over then the referee never gave it.

"We are bitterly disappointed but it would have been a lot worse if we'd lost the game."