As the game ticked towards a conclusion at Rugby Park, Heart of Midlothian crafted an opening which fell to the feet of Alex Cochrane. After more than 90 minutes of football - when you factor in first-half stoppage time - the visitors had a shot on target.

Counter-intuitive it may have been, but come David Dickinson's full-time whistle, which signalled a fourth straight league win for Steven Naismith's men, there was an element of disappointment that Hearts had in fact recorded a shot on target in their 1-0 win over Kilmarnock.

It was a victory which would have been all the more fitting, all the more sweet, for not having forced Wil Dennis into action. The Killie goalkeeper had steered Lawrence Shankland's cross into his own net in the first half. Before and after he was largely a spectator. Derek McInnes was understandably frustrated after the match with the outcome, calling it "harsh". But for Hearts, it was the ugliest of wins. Yet, oh so beautiful at the same time. A beauty which would have been even more radiant if it was a win achieved without a shot on target.

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This was a new side to Hearts. Yes, it was their fourth 1-0 success in the league and their fifth Premiership victory by a one-goal margin. But this was different from the others. For the majority of the season fans had witnessed the team dominate the ball but struggle to turn that possession into goals. In Ayrshire, Hearts recorded their lowest possession share for a league match against a team not called Celtic or Rangers. In fact, they made the fewest number of passes aside from the 2-1 loss at Rangers.

This win was very different. But, equally, very encouraging. 

Steven Naismith wants a front foot, aggressive style where Hearts have dominance and control. At the same time, this is Scottish football. On cold December afternoons, on a tricky pitch against a combative team with eight players who are 6ft or over, sometimes you just have to battle, fight and grind out a result.

Was that a quality the team had in their armoury? 

There have been points this season where it has been doubted perhaps with accusations of being soft, especially when shipping two goals against Hibs and Rangers which cost the team a further five points. And when the line-up was announced there may well have even been fears the midfield could be bullied. There was little need to worry on the evidence of Saturday afternoon in Ayrshire as they continue to change fan opinion.

Naismith said afterwards that "it’s a group that’s really together", singling out Cammy Devlin for "putting his body on the line" when he needed to despite carrying a knock. That togetherness was obvious as the team dug in, battled, scrapped, headed, cleared, blocked, all those qualities that you need in Scottish football.

It is all well and good talking about wanting to play a certain style, about being open and expansive, quick and slick, but this is Scotland in the winter. There are just times when sleeves are required to be rolled up, when crosses need to be headed and balls need to be sent into the channel.

The back three were all into double figures for clearances. Between them they averaged 83 per cent for aerial duel success rate. Kent had a 100 per cent success rate and no one had more headed clearances. According to StatsBomb, Rowles recorded an aerial win success rate of more than 70 per cent for the first time in the league this season. No one on the pitch made more tackles than Rowles. Kent made the most number of interceptions.

Scottish football bread and butter.

Now, the win against Kilmarnock, like the win against St Johnstone, are not games or performances fans or Steven Naismith will want to watch on a weekly basis but within both, and most certainly at Rugby Park, there were positives. Whether it was how the team won, attitude and character, or the way the team defended as a collective. 

The latter was an obvious area for improvement, something Hearts Standard explored earlier in the week.

"It was an area that we spoke about and we needed to address it in the summer because it was shocking," Naismith said of the team's defending of set pieces. "Everybody has bought into it. We have made some small changes and they have had a big impact.

"It’s not just the defenders. The midfielders’ positions to pick up second balls, or to make a challenge on the second ball, or our forwards’ positions when they hold it up or link the play – it all blends into one."

READ MORE: Derek McInnes: Hearts win was 'harsh' and VAR check over Oda incident was 'galling'

After 14 games in the league last season Hearts had conceded 24, twice as many as after the same number of games this campaign.

Of course, there will be a desire to be more of an attacking force, to add more goals. But coming into a mini run of facing Rangers, Aberdeen at Pittodrie and then a trip to Celtic, being hard to beat and having a reliable, solid platform is huge. 

It will help Naismith and Hearts make the next step and record a statement win this campaign, whether that is beating Rangers for the first time in 11 games, a win at Pittodrie for the first time in more than seven years or a victory at Celtic Park for the first time in 5,163 days.

No longer will these upcoming tests be treated with apprehension but anticipation.