And a goal down against Motherwell again on Saturday, a Motherwell that knows all about what Hearts are, knows all about their resilience and their never-say-die attitude.
They learned it the hard way, for the first time, way, way back in the third game of the campaign when people were still chortling at Tony Bloom’s claims about splitting the Old Firm this season and winning the Premiership inside a decade.
Motherwell were 3-0 up, remember? They ended up hanging on for a draw.
This is what Hearts do. They stay calm even when being out-played, as they were here for much of the first half, or out-fought, as they were in the opening half at Tynecastle against Rangers on Monday.
And so when Motherwell went a goal ahead on Saturday it was familiar territory. Not where they wanted to be, but where they have been so often.
They were second best but when you have Lawrence Shankland in your ranks, you have hope. Hearts have lost five league games and he has only played in one of them – and he scored in that one.
A left-foot finish that saw off Rangers on Monday and a right-foot finish that ended up earning this point at Motherwell, an emphatic close-range thump, the importance of which is yet to be determined.
If Hearts do win this title, they’ll have to erect a statue to the captain – not that he would need a landmark for people to remember his leadership and his goals.
His influence would be carved into the heart and soul of every Hearts supporter. If. Always if.
