HEARTS walked off the Firhill pitch at half-time of this William Hill Scottish Cup tie wondering how on earth they were only 1-0 up and not home and hosed.

An hour or so later and Craig Levein’s men found themselves on the same walk but this time feeling frustrated and in part relieved to have a replay back at Tynecastle next Tuesday.

What an odd match. If you were the type who enjoys clichés which are well worn, you would say that this quarter-final was a game of two halves. One had a certain team the superior, the other was quite the opposite story.

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A team that may well finish the third best in Scotland should always beat an opposition ranked bottom of the second tier. Unless that superior talent doesn’t work hard, as the saying almost goes.

However, Levein’s men were right on it from the start. Hearts pushed Thistle back and then deeper still. They looked as if they were a group who knew there was a chance of silverware should the evening go to plan.

But full credit must go to Thistle. They came out at the break a different team and, if any side was going to win it at the end, it was the one from Maryhill. As it was, a draw was right at the end of a strange evening.

The men from the capital attacked relentlessly from the off. Thistle didn’t have it within them to hold out for long and only 12 minutes had gone when the Premiership side took the lead.

A free-kick close to the left touchline was taken by Olivier Bozanic who found Ben Garuccio well outside the Thistle box but unmarked. Hearts captain Christophe Berra rose impressively to meet Garuccio's volleyed knock into the box and looped a header over Jags keeper Conor Hazard to break the deadlock.

Big Uche Ikpeazu will become a fine signing for Hearts. The striker leads the line so well. His turn and run on 32 minutes was typical of the man’s strength and prowess. This time, though, his shot was straight at Hazard.

Before half-time, Ikpeazu played one-touch with himself past two Thistle defenders, the ball didn’t hit the ground, and his lob wasn’t too far away. His name was chanted with undying love by the visitor.

True, it was only 1-0. However, Hearts were coasting. But, as we all know, association football has been around for a while and has the tendency to be silly.

In the second half, Thistle were on the front foot, played passes forward and it shook Hearts.

Aidan Fitzpatrick, a Firhill academy graduate, put his foot through the ball to produce a shot which while it was always going over, at least gave the home fans something to shout, rather than moan, about.

There was a crazy 30 seconds when Hearts’ Sean Clare hit a rasper, the only word for it, of a shot which Hazard got a hand to and put the ball on to the woodwork, it rebounded out and Ikpeazu’s header again hit the bar.

But Thistle were still in it and kept asking questions. And on 71 minutes, not quite out of nothing but not far away from that, Thistle equalised.

Hearts switched off, Craig Slater got down the left, he sent the ball across the Hearts goal and right-back Christie Elliott connected on the volley to burst burst the net and send the Firhill faithful into a frenzy. It was remarkable.

Gary Caldwell and his Thistle side could probably do without an extra game, but they could also take inspiration from a fine 45 minutes.

But Hearts should really have had this all sorted out by half-time. Levein did not look happy at the end and no wonder.