From sparring at Hearts' Riccarton training base to crossing swords as top-flight foes, Sam Nicholson acknowledges his rivalry with Jamie MacDonald is an enduring one.

Sadly for the gifted young winger, MacDonald has a tendency to emerge victorious.

Nicholson and MacDonald were both on the books at Hearts from 2007 and, despite the big goalkeeper leaving the club last summer, it was just like old times in Gorgie on Saturday.

"It was like being back in training, he always had a mental block on me," smiled the 20-year-old ruefully. "I don't know if he's trying to carry that on or what, but I'm not too happy about it!"

Given the penchant for superstition among the footballing fraternity, Nicholson may not have been entirely joking.

MacDonald made a sharp first half save after one of Nicholson's numerous pops at goal, before truly excelling after the break to parry away the winger's drive from 12 yards following a magnificent surge into the box.

"Jamma [MacDonald] is an outstanding keeper and is a brilliant shot-stopper. He is always confident when it comes to making big saves," continued Nicholson.

"One of my shots went straight to him - and he still managed to make it look like a great save. I don't now how he managed that."

As well as denying Nicholson, he produced a decent early save to tip a ferocious Juanma Delgado shot over the cross-bar. However, reluctant to rejoice in a friend's suffering, MacDonald was quick to play down his own efforts following a fine display on his return to Tynecastle.

"I've had a couple of saves and there's been a couple of blocks by the boys, but that's our jobs," said MacDonald.

Nevertheless, Nicholson seemed determined to martyr himself in the Tynecastle media room.

The Scotland under-21 internationalist, barring his lack of a finishing touch, was one of the brightest performers on show in Gorgie, constantly seeking to attack the Killie defence with direct running and dancing feet.

Indeed, his failure to get on the scoresheet was partly down to some excellent defending, with Stuart Findlay making a sensational block with his chest to stop a goal-bound effort.

Nicholson also rippled the side-netting with a powerful shot from 18 yards during a barrage of chances just prior to half-time.

"It's all down to taking chances, and I especially include myself in that," he continued candidly. "I could've scored a couple and, whether you call it luck or not, it's not happened.

"The more chances you create, the more chances you have to score. But, for me on Saturday, it seemed like the more I created, the less chance of it going in.

"You can't let it get your head down and hopefully I can bury a few in the next game.

"When we were 1-0 up I thought we were comfortable but you're never really safe at 1-0. When that [equaliser] happens, you start looking back at the chances you missed and think 'how did we lose that lead.'"

Hearts' academy product was far from the only offender in front of goal. Juanma headed wide from six yards and the otherwise excellent Osman Sow rounded MacDonald in the second half, only to see Findlay - again - block his shot on the line.

When Hearts did manage to get the ball into the net, it was done in comprehensive fashion courtesy of Jamie Walker. The winger rattled home his first goal of the season from the penalty spot after Sow had been felled by Conrad Balatoni.

However, Balatoni made amends in spectacular fashion by lashing home a low drive from the edge of the box against his former employers and boyhood heroes.

Eschewing the current trend for players to produce muted reactions to scoring against their old employers, Balatoni's celebrations were refreshingly joyous.

"Did I expect it? Did I nowt! He's never done that in training - he's usually just getting his big head in the way of things," laughed MacDonald. "No, seriously, it was a great finish.

"He scored a few crackers for Partick and it's great to have that goal threat from the back.

"Conrad was here [Hearts] when he was younger and I played with him at under-19 level before he moved on to Partick - and what a finish for a centre-half. You'll take a half-volley from the edge of the box any day.

"He's shown character to bounce back and I think that's one thing you can say about our team - we show a lot of character.

"We'd like to have more points than what we do but, for one reason or another, it didn't happen for us at the start of the season.

"However, In the last few games you can really see the improvement and hopefully we kick on for the rest of the season."

HEARTS: Alexander; Paterson, Augustyn, Rossi, Oshaniwa; Walker (Reilly 85), Gomis, Buaben, Nicholson; Delgado, Sow (Swanson 74). Subs not used: Hamilton, Pallardo, Djoum, McGhee, L Smith.

KILMARNOCK: MacDonald; O'Hara, Balatoni, Findlay, McHattie; Hamill (Boyd 70), Kiltie; Slater, Obadeyi (McKenzie 59), Higginbotham (S Smith 83); Magennis. Subs not used:Ridgers, Splane, Syme, Frizzel.

Ref: John Beaton

Att: 16461