Combative Heart of Midlothian midfielder Cammy Devlin is seeing real signs of progress under Neil Critchley.

That’s despite two defeats and no goals in their last two matches after a eye-catching start to life at Tynecastle Park for the new head coach.

Encouragement comes from the fact that there has still been a level of performance in losses to Heidenheim in the Conference League and, more recently, Rangers in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.

Hearts were fantastic in the first half on Thursday night, all that was lacking was a goal or two.

At Ibrox, they got off to the worst possible start, conceding after a few minutes.

Critchley’s men were the better side for large spells after that without creating too many clear-cut chances.

All that, for Devlin, adds up to progress under the new boss after the side experienced one of their worst starts to a season on record.

“The nearly feeling,” said Devlin, echoing the words of Critchley. “I think on the pitch we are playing good football. I hope watching it is encouraging.

“The message he is giving us is to play and be brave because he thinks there’s quality in the squad to do that. I feel since he came in even the games we have drawn and lost, the performances have been positive.

“At St Johnstone, we didn’t play so well but we ground out that result. It’s about turning that habit of playing well but not winning.

“We’re playing well but we need to get a result. I do feel the performances are encouraging. It’s about being ruthless in both boxes.”

Devlin feels a point is the minimum Hearts deserved for their efforts at Ibrox, though they only had themselves to blame for conceding such a soft goal so early on.

“Really disappointing, to be honest,” he added. “When you go there and concede within five minutes you’re going to find it really tough. It’s the story of the season in a lot of ways, where we come off thinking we played really well but don’t even walk away with a point. It’s disappointing.

“First of all you can’t concede soft goals within the first five minutes when you come here. It’s so frustrating playing the way we did and not getting a goal.

“We had a game plan which we worked on after Thursday night. The gaffer wanted us to be brave and I think we really were with the ball. We controlled a lot of the game in the way we passed the ball.

“It’s just frustrating when you play the way we do and don’t get a goal.”

One player desperate for a goal is Lawrence Shankland who has just one so far this season. Playing a slightly deeper role, the Hearts skipper’s link-up play was excellent, including his sublime touch and pass to set up Kenneth Vargas for their best opportunity of the game.

Although being further away from the goals meant fewer chances for the striker.

Tough time in front of goals for Shankland or not, it is incumbent on others to step up and score goals.

“We know Shanks’ qualities and I thought at Ibrox he was outstanding,” said Devlin. “The work he does for us as a team goes unnoticed so much like his link-up play.

“It’s about other players stepping up and taking the pressure off him in terms of goalscoring. He’s not always going to be finding the back of the net. I’m sure when he does it will start flowing for him.

“He’s just one player. There’s 10 others that need to grab it and take the pressure off him because he does so much for us. But at the same time, I’m sure when he starts scoring things will change.”

The fixture schedule has been relentless for Hearts recently, with relatively little time on the training pitch for Critchley. The next two weeks is a valuable chance to redress that balance during the international break.

Devlin said there must be a real purpose to improve every training session, especially over the next fortnight as Hearts return to an arguably even tougher run of games.

Next up is Celtic at Tynecastle, followed by Cercle Bruges in Belgium a few days later in the Conference League and high-flying Aberdeen at home a few days after that.

He added: “The gaffer will be looking forward to having us. It’s a time to drill more into us and for us as players to get better at it and have a real focus on what we do.

“The games aren’t getting easier when we get back so we have to take more responsibility as players.

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“In the gaffer’s first game in charge and his first European game, we have a style of play that we want to be a team you watch and think that’s the team we see week in, week out. They play nice football, they are brave, attacking, they are aggressive with and without the ball. “He’s not going to change the way he wants us to play. We just have to stick at it. He’s only been here a month and the style of play is pretty clear to see.

“That feeling of being close but not close enough is so frustrating. It’s about us as players changing it."