With only 70 seconds on the clock, the Heart of Midlothian fans were celebrating, particularly those in lower Section F, directly in front of where Milanovic was bundled over.

Fans in all four stands chanted “Gorgie! Gorgie Rules!” in unison. While watching Hearts, the hair on the back of my neck stood taller than it had in a long time.

Running, closing down, and making things uncomfortable for the opposition. This is exactly what Hearts fans want to see from their team out of possession, especially at Tynecastle Park.

“I think we’ve got to try and feed off the crowd,” Derek McInnes said following the 2-0 victory over his former club. “I think the way Tynecastle was tonight for long stretches was exactly what I wanted.

It’s exactly as I pictured.” It works both ways. If Hearts fans see their team pursuing an opponent, they will react with loud and strong support.

The team can energise the fans, who can then energise the players. McInnes described the game as “a wee bit of a throwback” and a “proper game”.

It was noisy and hostile. It had the bearpit quality that has been sorely lacking since the new Main Stand was built, with the exception of the occasional European fixture, and included a focus on an opposing player, as the crowd did with Graeme Shinnie.

The Hearts’ support is a different animal when it believes in the team and understands its identity as aggressive, powerful, energetic, and eager to play forward.

Add in Tony Bloom’s hope for a successful future and the club’s positive direction, and you have a powerful concoction.

When the team lost possession, they went man for man. Milne was pushed high up the left flank by Alexander Jensen, while Oisin McEntee was pushed up by left-back Graeme Shinnie, leaving Sutart Findlay and Borchgrevink to deal with the Dons’ wingers.

Cammy Devlin tracked Nilsen, Blair Spittal pursued Leighton Clarkson, and the two strikers targeted the two centre-backs. You can see the rough shape below. McInnes rated the team’s “commitment” and “guts” as 10 out of 10. Those are all the qualities that the support requires.

“We had a team screaming to win the game of football there,” the Hearts head coach said. “Absolutely busting.” Even when Morris flees near the end, four of our boys pursue him. The unity that has been shown.

“To be honest, working with them makes me feel like I’ve been here longer. I believe the players deserve a lot of credit for attempting to create a sense of family. But for sheer dedication, guts, and effort, I thought we were 10 out of 10.

Few players exemplified the performance more than Cammy Devlin, particularly in the first half when Hearts were the dominant team. Watching the game back, his performance was the following:

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