St Johnstone maintained their impressive McDiarmid Park league record against Hearts on Wednesday night.
But Callum Davidson’s side were only able to add another point to a Premiership total that keeps them in 10th position.
Skipper Liam Gordon had nudged Saints into an early lead before Josh Ginnelly levelled as the break approached.
Hearts looked the likelier to grab a winner in the second half but neither team was able to find a moment of magic.
The capital club have now not won in the league in Perth in 14 attempts, stretching back 11 years.
We almost didn’t have a game. Late afternoon rain had intensified to the point that a 6.45pm pitch inspection was required. It was undeniably damp and the Ormond Stand end was wetter than elsewhere but referee Steven McLean quickly gave the green light.
There was going to be plenty of slipping and sliding in front of a bumper crowd boosted by a large following from the capital. It was, however, the home support dancing wildly in just the 12th minute when Saints gained the upper hand.
Providing the finishing touch - well, smashing into the net from a yard out - was big captain Gordon. He certainly enjoyed it.
His moment to shine arrived courtesy of a terrific Cammy MacPherson corner kick delivery, flicked to the back post area by Stevie May.
Wasting little time to blast into the net and saying thank you very much was a smiling Gordon.
Early in the game Hearts had the first sight of goal but striker Armand Gnanduillet nodded well wide and then, chasing a leveller on 23 minutes, Ginnelly guided a powerful left-footed drive from the edge of the box over the bar.
Saints, promisingly, looked threatening every time they delivered a ball into the area and Jamie McCart headed a corner wide just after the half hour mark.
The visitors appeared shaky at times, none more so than in the 32nd minute when determined May charged down goalkeeper Craig Gordon. Suddenly the ball broke for Chris Kane whose first-time volley was beaten away by the recovering shot-stopper.
Hearts survived and would level proceedings five minutes before the interval. Perth manager Davidson was convinced there had been a foul in the centre of the park, but the visitors surged forward at pace.
Ginnelly was slipped in and, after quickly composing himself, slotted a beautiful left-footed shot across Zander Clark and into the bottom corner. Time remained before the whistle and Clark needed to be alert to push Gnanduillet’s header away from danger.
Saints were required to make a double change for the beginning of the second half with James Brown and Lars Dendoncker, who appeared to have picked up earlier knocks, replaced by Reece Devine and Efe Ambrose.
The new arrivals could only watch as Gnanduillet found himself in a promising position deep inside the Perth box minutes into the restart. Clark managed to touch behind for a corner.
Hearts had the upper hand and John Souttar attempted to capitalise on the hour mark when he stepped out of defence - far too easily - before lining up his angles. His shot from 35 yards was inches from finding the top corner.
Saints’ first real attack in the second half came in the 70th minute when, on the break, May slipped a pass across for the advanced run of Devine. The Manchester United loanee shuffled onto his favoured left foot but Gordon was down quickly to save.
Up the other end, almost immediately, Ginnelly’s acrobatic effort was straight at Clark and then Souttar was again close with a long-ranger.
Cheap possession was soon gifted away and that was welcomed by the fresh legs of Ben Woodburn. He advanced deep into home territory before finding Gnanduillet who dragged wide of the far post.
The crowd of 6083 cheered their favourites on in the closing stages but there was to be no winner.
