Olwethu Makhanya's last-minute equaliser spared Rangers from the full impact of Derek McInnes's scathing verdict on a poor performance at Tynecastle, as the Light Blues claimed a 2-2 draw.
McInnes, returning to face Hearts for the first time since leaving the club in the summer, saw his side take an early lead through Kevin Kelsy but then struggle badly as the home side fought back with goals from Claudio Braga and Calvin Miller.
Just as it looked like Rangers were set to lose, Makhanya popped up three minutes from time to rescue a point. The result leaves Rangers still four points behind Celtic, with Hearts a further four points adrift.
Early opener and a dreadful first half
McInnes had warned his team they would be marching into a cauldron in the capital, and the home fans made their feelings clear from the first minute, hammering the former boss following his decision to walk out on last season's title challengers.
Rangers took the lead after 16 minutes when Mendy was robbed by Kelsy, who played a sharp one-two with Ryan Naderi before rolling the opener past Beau Reus. It was Kelsy's fifth goal in six games.
But that early opener was about all Rangers produced during a dreadful first half in which they were outrun and outfought by Wouter Vrancken's side. Ivor Pandur was untroubled by straightforward efforts from Braga and Miller, while Mendy should have got his header from a Miller free-kick on target.
Hearts fight back after the break
Hearts levelled just three minutes after the restart when Miller sent a free-kick deep towards the back post, Malachi Fagan-Walcott's knockdown bounced across the face of goal, and Braga bundled home from point-blank range.
Hearts then took full advantage as Minsu Kim over-ran the ball into Tomas Magnusson's path. The Icelander found Braga in space, and the Portuguese forward's deflected shot was brilliantly rammed home by Miller.
Braga could not bury a huge chance to add a third as the clock ticked towards the final stages, and it proved to be a huge moment as Rangers burst forward to snatch a point. Bouanani's free-kick was sent to the far post, and Makhanya steered his looping header over Reus's reach.
Manager's return overshadowed
McInnes had confessed he left a club in mourning when he decided to join his boyhood heroes in the summer. He was standing just inches away from the spot where he had stood as Hearts beat Falkirk on the penultimate day of last season, believing he was destined to become the first Hearts boss in 66 years to clinch title glory.
Vrancken was looking to protect a proud unbeaten Premiership home record stretching back to April last year, with his squad down to the bare bones and missing eight key men. He was still able to shake things up, with Laurent Mendy and Calvin Miller replacing James Wilson and Stephen Kingsley.
McInnes sprung a surprise by replacing Badredine Bouanani, one of his standout performers against Dundee and St Johnstone last week, with Djeidi Gassama. It was a move that did not work, and Gassama was replaced by Bouanani after Hearts levelled.
McInnes will view this as a major chance missed, with only Makhanya walking away with any credit after the rest failed to deal with the intimidating Tynecastle atmosphere.
