FORMER Celtic defender Jamie McCart scored TWO remarkable own goals to rescue Philippe Clement at Tynecastle this afternoon.
The under-fire Rangers boss desperately needed a win against Hearts to silence the boo boys after the Scottish Cup exit against Queen’s Park earlier in the week.
The Ibrox club went into the match in Edinburgh 16 points behind champions Celtic and are merely fulfilling the fixtures until the Premiership crown is presented to Callum McGregor and Co for the fourth successive season.
OWN GOAL BLUNDER No.1…Jamie McCart deflects the ball into his net to gift the Ibrox side the opener.
All eyes were on Big Phil in the capital, but McCart, who made one appearance for the Hoops in his two years after joining in 2016, took the spotlight with two howlers – and, amazingly, only a reflex save from Craig Gordon denied him a hat-trick!
He blundered in the 20th minute to give the visitors the interval advantage when the veteran keeper touched away a low left-wing cross from Ianis Hagi.
McCart couldn’t get out of the way in time and allowed the ball to break off his shins and ricochet into the empty net.
The hosts fought back to equalise with a Michael Steinwender header from a right-wing corner-kick shortly after the interval, but, with the home side claiming a penalty-kick, the visitors broke to snatch a second through Vaclav Cerny just after the hour mark.
OWN GOAL BLUNDER No.2…Jamie McCart hits the deck as his ‘clearance’ eludes stranded Hearts team-mate Craig Gordon.
Hearts missed a procession of glorious chances while Jack Butland made three outstanding stops, but the contest was over when McCart put the ball into his own net for a second time in the 73rd minute.
The blundering centre-back raced back to challenge Cyriel Dessers to a long through pass and get his toe to the ball to send it floating past Gordon for the killer third strike.
McCart came close to making it 2-0 at one stage in the first-half when he deflected a corner-kick goalwards, but on this occasion the former Hoops No.1 reacted with a swift dive to his right.
There was no reprieve for the defender on the other two occasions.
