As Ross County striker Jordan White leapt, his 6ft 4in frame easily picked out by Noah Chilvers as he swung in a free kick from the right flank, and planted his head firmly on the ball, directing a powerful effort high to the right of the goal, you could almost hear the collective groan from the near-500 Hibernian supporters clustered in the north-east corner of the Global Energy Stadium for Hibs' second Scottish Premiership game in a three-game week.
But the implied wails soon turned to very real raucous applause and cheers, as Josef Bursik flung himself to his left and diverted the net-bound ball away from the goal, with Joe Newell completing the clearance to snuff out the danger for David Gray's side.
“We do work on that sort of stuff in training, so it’s nice when it comes off," the goalkeeper said afterwards.
"But I think in some cases, the less you know about things the better for ‘keepers. It's good because it just happens. But it was a good one to do before half-time and go in at 0-0.
“The clean sheet is nice. It's even better if we can turn those kinds of performances into wins, especially after a long journey up, it's sweet when you can come back home with a win, but the clean sheet is good, we've done our job as defenders and as a team, it's a whole effort so we can take positives from it."
Bursik and his defenders have not had an easy start to the season. Signs in the summer were promising, with the caveat that a mixture of pre-season friendlies and Premier Sports Cup games against lower-league opposition was a different test to what the Scottish Premiership might throw at them.
The former England Under-21 internationalist cannot be held responsible for all of the Easter Road side's well-documented defensive woes but even he would admit that he has had one or two low moments along with highs like his save in Dingwall, or an instinctive, point-blank stop from Cyriel Dessers at Ibrox last month.
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He credits Gray with helping him deal with the pressure, the scrutiny, and the jeers.
“I think he’s a great coach, and I really get on well with him. He has great integrity and he’s shown that with the whole team," Bursik added.
“I’ve had a couple of tough games but I like to think I’m pretty strong in the head so I don’t listen to anything or read anything. Anyone can say anything, I’m not really bothered - I just go out there and enjoy it. More often than not things go well, stuff happens, whatever. It’s part of the job isn’t it?"
It is part of the job - and Gray has pointed out on more than one occasion, that when goalkeepers make mistakes, they tend to be punished more severely than if an outfield player blunders. Such was the magnitude of his mistake against Dundee United - rushing from his goal-line in a bid to clear a ball into the box but missing it and striking defender Jack Iredale, with the loose ball lobbed into the goal for the winner by Meshack Ubochioma - that there were calls for him to be replaced for the next game by backup Jordan Smith or even third-choice Max Boruc.
Never mind that it was an Edinburgh derby billed as the 'biggest in years' given both Edinburgh clubs' stuttering starts to the season.
As it happens, Gray threw his full support behind Bursik, making clear in no uncertain terms that the former Stoke City youngster would be keeping hold of the gloves for the visit of Hearts. The 'keeper himself, despite the outcome of his error at Tannadice, insists he wasn't affected by the incident.
“The day after you’re a bit down, but you go back into training and make it right. I’m a positive guy, there’s no point going in getting your head down. I put a smile on my face. I’m lucky to do this job so I can’t help but smile every day," he explained.
Not long turned 24, Bursik has played in the wilds of the Northern Premier League and National League North as a youngster; famously unforgiving divisions with a variety of teams ranging from former league teams fallen from grace, up-and-coming upstart outfits, phoenix clubs, and often played on tight pitches in grounds where the fans are right on top of you.
He's also played 53 games for Stoke, and signed for Club Brugge in Belgium off the back of his performances for the Potters. In footballing terms, he comes across as a Buckingham Palace guard - unflinching and unfazed by most things.
“When you go different places - I’ve been in Belgium, come up to Scotland - you don’t really tap into it. You’re not really bothered by things. I’ve been in football long enough," he said.
“The way I see it, I’m a Chelsea fan, so if the Chelsea ‘keeper isn’t playing well, people talk rubbish about him and I’ll probably do the same thing. I’m a fan, fans speak, and it’s fine - I’d probably give myself abuse if I was chucking them in as well.
“It is what it is, I’m not particularly bothered. Listen, if you do things that cost your team the points then it’s hard to take. But we’re all together and people have gone through little hard periods and that’s what teams are for."
Despite his relatively tender years - in goalkeeping terms, certainly - Bursik has been through a lot. Several loan spells; performance expectations in a Championship team; moving to a new country - twice; injury setbacks, and being frozen out of the first team in Bruges. But he has been through a lot away from football as well, all of which has shaped his approach.
“All the experience toughens you up, doesn't it? Away from football I've been through much harder stuff, so it puts things into perspective," he continued.
“I just go out there and try and enjoy myself - like the game on Sunday; it was a great derby, it's great to be involved in. Even Ross County, I enjoyed every minute of it. It's a shame we couldn't get a win, but I just go out there and enjoy it.”
Gray and the Hibs fans will hope Bursik can keep enjoying things, and add a few more clean sheets to his name - without any need to block out criticism for errors.
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