Steven Naismith condemned the “idiots” who threw objects at Lawrence Shankland as he waited to take Hearts’ penalty in their 1-1 draw at home to Hibernian.

The Jambos top scorer had to hold his nerve before he equalised from the spot just before half-time after a range of items rained down on him from the stand behind the goal housing Hibs fans.

Shankland was struck by more objects when defending a corner later in the game, while Hibs goal-scorer Emiliano Marcondes was also hit by something thrown from the Hearts end.

Hearts boss Naismith said: “I think it was everything that was in everyone’s pockets, whether it be coins, vapes or whatever. All the stuff getting launched on, it’s just not acceptable.

“If that then gets looked at, what’s going to happen is they are just going to reduce the amount of fans that can go into that stand and that’s going to impact what I think is a good atmosphere, a good derby which has a fierce rivalry.

“It’s just idiots that are going to spoil the party for everybody. It’s just not good enough, end of.”

Shankland’s penalty – contentiously awarded after Hearts forward Kenneth Vargas went down while trying to get away from Will Fish – just before the break cancelled out Marcondes’ 27th-minute opener for Hibs.

“It was end to end at times, both teams had chances and, ultimately, that bit of quality was the thing that was missing in the game,” added Naismith.

Hibs boss Nick Montgomery was adamant his team deserved to win the game and felt referee Kevin Clancy made an error by sticking with his decision to award the penalty to Hearts even though he was advised by VAR to review the incident on the pitchside monitor.

“The VAR is there to call the referee over so he doesn’t make a mistake and when he called him over, I looked at it on the monitor and my opinion is no way it’s a penalty – and I don’t think anybody else probably thought it was,” said Montgomery.

“And then, lo and behold, he’s got a clear view of it, he can slow it down, he can watch it. Yeah, he gives a penalty. I’m just really disappointed that we don’t take three points. It cost us two points.

“Maybe we’ll get another apology this week like we did after Aberdeen. Maybe we won’t. But at the end of the day, what we won’t get back is any points.”

Asked about the objects being thrown from the stands, Montgomery said: “I don’t condone it, Steven doesn’t condone it. Neither do the clubs. Unfortunately there were a few things.

“Emi Marcondes had it in the first half as well when we had serious pressure on them.”

Hearts forward Lawrence Shankland scored his 26th goal of the season from the penalty spot in a 1-1 draw at home to city rivals Hibernian.

The Easter Road side went ahead through on-loan Bournemouth playmaker Emiliano Marcondes.

But they were pegged back just before the break when Hearts were awarded a contentious spot-kick, and in-form Shankland fired home his sixth Edinburgh derby goal since moving to Tynecastle in the summer of 2022.

Despite being unable to find a winner in an end-to-end second half, Hearts increased their advantage in third place in the cinch Premiership to 12 points over fourth-placed Kilmarnock, while the Hibees moved within a point of the top six.

Hearts manager Steven Naismith made three changes to the team that started Saturday’s 5-0 defeat at Rangers as Kye Rowles, Beni Baningime and Jorge Grant dropped to the bench and were replaced by Cammy Devlin, Scott Fraser and Alan Forrest.

Hibs boss Nick Montgomery selected the same side that started the 2-1 win at home to Dundee – a result that stemmed a run of eight games without a league victory.

The visitors – seeking a first triumph at Tynecastle since Boxing Day 2019 – settled well and they threatened after three minutes when Marcondes picked out Joe Newell just inside the box with a cleverly-worked corner, but the Englishman’s shot was blocked by his own team-mate Lewis Miller.

Hibs forward Martin Boyle almost got himself clear in the 25th minute when Rocky Bushiri’s headed clearance from his own box bounced into the Hearts half but the Australia international could not get the ball fully under control and Nathaniel Atkinson got back to snuff out the danger.

The Hibees, who had looked the likelier side, made the breakthrough in the 27th minute when Marcondes calmly slotted home the rebound from 10 yards out after Boyle was released in the box by Dylan Vente and clipped the ball beyond Hearts goalkeeper Zander Clark, only to see Atkinson scramble it off the line.

The hosts had offered little in the first half but they managed to get themselves level just before the break when they were awarded a penalty after Kenneth Vargas fell to the ground as he tried to seize on a loose touch from Hibs defender Will Fish.

Referee Kevin Clancy was advised by VAR to review the incident on the pitchside monitor but he felt there was enough contact to justify sticking with his initial decision. Shankland was pelted by objects thrown from the away end as he waited to take his spot-kick but, after the penalty area was cleared of debris, he fired emphatically past David Marshall.

The second half was far more open, with good chances at both ends. Vente, Boyle and Myziane Maolida all went close for the Hibees, while Vargas, Shankland, Forrest and Calem Nieuwenhof had opportunities to win it for the Jambos.

Aberdeen’s interim manager Neil Warnock insisted his side must cut out the sloppy defensive errors that see him still on the hunt for a first cinch Premiership win following a 2-2 draw with Hibernian.

The Dons fell behind after Martin Boyle rounded Kelle Roos after just 12 minutes, but were quickly level through Nicky Devlin.

Jamie McGrath put the home side in front just after the break, but sub Emiliano Marcondes turned home from close range to earn his side a share of the points.

And Warnock said afterwards: “It’s frustrating. We’ve had 26 attempts on goal but given two goals away like Sunday league.

“I think that’s the best we’ve played since I’ve come here, and we just missed a little bit of the rub of the green.

“We played some good stuff at times, but we needed a clean sheet to win the game. I bet Hibs can’t believe the goals we’ve given them – it’s elementary defending, and it’s disappointing after the effort we put into the game.”

Hibs boss Nick Montgomery was handed his professional debut by Warnock during a spell at Sheffield United, and he felt his side could have got one over on his former boss.

He said: “I think we came here with a game plan, and we scored early but we’re disappointed with the goals we lost. It was a competitive game on a difficult pitch.

“I thought we probably should have had a penalty for handball in the first half, and in the second we conceded another poor goal.

“I thought we showed great character to level, and [Emiliano] Marcondes is a top quality player, and I thought his finish was quality.

“We had chances to win the game, as did Aberdeen. We could have taken three points but it wasn’t to be so we’ll take a point at a difficult place to come.”

Aberdeen’s interim manager Neil Warnock is still seeking a first cinch Premiership win after his side could only draw 2-2 with a resilient Hibernian at Pittodrie.

The visitors led through Martin Boyle, but Nicky Devlin quickly restored parity before the Dons went in front early in the second half thanks to Jamie McGrath.

However, a leveller from substitute Emiliano Marcondes ensured the sides shared the points.

The evergreen Boyle made an early impact, sliding past Kelle Roos at the near post after good work from Myziane Maolida had created the chance.

The Edinburgh side’s lead did not last long, as David Marshall could only parry Bojan Miovski’s 10-yard volley and Devlin threw himself at the loose ball to turn home a quickfire leveller.

Aberdeen would be the more threatening side, and Marshall had to look smart to deny Jack MacKenzie midway through the first half, and the former Scotland man then had to palm away a Connor Barron corner from under his own crossbar.

Miovski passed up a gilt-edged chance to put the Dons in front just before the half-hour as he ran onto Duk’s through ball, but in electing to lift over Marshall rather than round the veteran keeper, he allowed a save.

The home side survived a penalty scare as VAR official David Dickinson took a look at a potential handball from an Elie Youan cross, but at the other end they were denied a second goal by the woodwork, as Leighton Clarkson slid in to meet Miovski’s cutback, the ball coming back off the crossbar.

They would get their noses in front after 51 minutes, as Duk left Lewis Miller for dead, and put a ball into the box, where Clarkson found McGrath, and the Irishman passed into the net after getting the ball out from between his feet.

It looked like they might extend their lead when Miovski ran onto a ball over the top three minutes later, but Marshall was off his line quickly to avert the danger.

A flying save from Marshall denied Duk, and the keeper held a Graeme Shinnie volley before Hibs drew level in controversial circumstances.

Play went on after what seemed an offside on the left, only for assistant referee David Roome to raise his flag after substitute Marcondes turned home Joe Newell’s cutback. A lengthy VAR review followed, before eventually the goal was given.

Aberdeen threw on new signing Junior Hoilett for the last 10 minutes, and his first involvement set up an opportunity for Miovski, only for Marshall to deny the Dons top scorer. That would be the keeper’s last involvement as he picked up an injury that saw him replaced by Jojo Wollacott.

Despite 10 minutes of injury time, neither side could find a winner, though Miovski should have done better when the ball fell to him at the back post deep in stoppage time.

Emiliano Marcondes was given food for thought as he recovered from a long-term injury before joining Hibernian.

The 28-year-old attacking midfielder arrived at Easter Road on loan from Bournemouth this week after being out since last May with a foot injury which required surgery.

The Dane came off the bench to make his debut in the second half of Wednesday’s 3-0 home cinch Premiership defeat to Rangers and was delighted to get back into action.

Asked about what he was looking for from his loan spell in Leith, Marcondes came up with an unusual culinary analogy.

He said: “Obviously to play and some good football as well. I want to have an important role with a great team that plays some good football.

“My agent actually said that as a footballer, when you haven’t played for a long period, you are like a cold pasta dish.

“So, no-one wants you and you are not very interesting to eat when you haven’t been playing and have been injured.

“When you are in that situation you have to put yourself in the oven and warm yourself up and that’s how I feel right now.

“I have to put myself in the oven and make myself edible again and make sure I’m wanted again. That is the picture I like to put in my head. I want to make sure I am a nice pasta dish that people want again.”

The former Brentford playmaker added of his time out: “It has been difficult. It is a weird moment for a football player when you are injured and coming back and the transfer window is open.

“It is not often that we, as footballers, really talk about it. But it is a situation when you doubt your future. I have half a year left at Bournemouth.

“But for me, it was important to have focus in every training session, and to make sure I was 100 per cent fit first, and not think too much about the future and my situation but that is easier said than done.

“I have had a great team around me at Bournemouth to help get me 100 per cent fit and get me back in training. I felt very strong in the end. Coming back and playing, I don’t feel like I have been injured for seven months so that is a great feeling.”

Marcondes was introduced just before the hour-mark against Rangers with the visitors leading through first-half goals from Ridvan Yilmaz and Todd Cantwell.

The Denmark Under-21 international said: “It was a great atmosphere and coming off the bench was good.

“By then we were 2-0 behind but I felt that we had a few chances to come back into it and that would have changed the game. But, we didn’t take our chances.

“I felt great, personally and Scottish football is a high level, high tempo, and there is some good quality.”