For the club, it gives all associated with the Jambos some positive energy after heavy cinch Premiership and Europa Conference League home defeats by Rangers and Fiorentina, while for the player, Nathaniel Atkinson, it is likely to act as a kick-start for the young Australian’s career at Tynecastle.

Right-back Atkinson, 23, has by his own admission struggled for consistency and form, but he was one of the better Hearts players at Rugby Park on Sunday in the 2-2 draw even before he decided to morph into a world-class forward and take a dipping ball out of the sky and volley it, with his weaker foot, past rooted Killie keeper Zach Hemming.

We have seen enough of Atkinson in the past ten months, since his arrival from Melbourne City, to know there is a good player in there. His manager Robbie Neilson called him “a great kid” and has full belief in the Tasmanian. Atkinson himself revealed he has been battling low confidence as he and his girlfriend Isabella settle into Edinburgh life.

Nathaniel Atkinson put in a strong performance for Hearts against Kilmarnock, capping it off with a fine goal in stoppage time.

“I’m my own harshest critic and I know my performances haven’t been up to standard,” said Atkinson.

“I got brought here for a reason and the start of the season just hasn’t been good enough from me.

“It’s probably affected me off the pitch more than anything but I’ve been having long chats with the assistant coaches and they’ve been getting me in a positive mindset.

“I’m an attacking player but I also want to do my defensive duty, and I thought I did that today. Coming back from the national team gave me a bit of a lift as well.

“I had a bit of a slow start to the season, I came off in the first game with sickness and then Smudge [Michael Smith] came in and he’s done very well.

“But when I’ve got my chances I don’t think I’ve had the confidence to push on. But today that confidence came back and it’s just about starting games early and with confidence, and with the World Cup coming up it’s just that extra bit of motivation.

“Any footballer will say that they’re their harshest critic and I think it’s just when things don’t go your way you start wondering if you’re to blame.

“I tend to get in my emotions a bit outside of football as well so it’s been good to have my girlfriend over from Australia to take my mind off it.

“Then it’s just self-reflection, looking at yourself in the mirror and asking what you can fix.”

Atkinson says he is acclimatised to being away from Australia but has had to help his partner settle.

“It’s always going to be difficult away from family but I’ve been doing that since I was 14, from Tasmania to Melbourne.

“So I’ve built up a bit of armour. My girlfriend has probably struggled being away from home a lot more than me, so for me to help her through that has been good.

“Obviously moving halfway across the world is never easy but I think I’m built for this and there’s a reason I’ve come all this way.”

Honest Nathaniel Atkinson criticises own Hearts displays and explains how confidence loss affected him