Atkinson: I’ve dreamt about scoring a left-footed volley

Subway Socceroos defender Nathaniel Atkinson scored a dramatic equaliser to salvage a point for Heart of Midlothian in the Scottish Premiership on Monday morning (AEDT).

The right-back executed a stunning volley on his weaker left foot in the 94th minute to secure a 2-2 draw against Kilmarnock.

Atkinson admitted to Hearts TV following the match that it is not something he works on too much in training, though interestingly revealed he had visualised scoring a volley off his left boot.

“I don’t really get up the pitch that high to be honest,” he joked, after scoring his second goal for the club.

“But to be fair I’ve dreamt about it a couple of times, no right foot volleys but left foot volleys, I don’t know why – but it’s not just for standing on.”

The Jam Tarts found themselves trailing 2-0 just before the hour mark but the 23-year-old believed the resilience his team showed to fight back was encouraging.

“Obviously it’s disappointing to drop some points but it’s also a bit of a positive coming back so late in the game,” Atkinson said.

“2-0 down but comeback and get a draw out of it, it’s in hindsight not the best result but we’re happy with it to get a point out of it.

“And it just shows the boys are willing to fight all the way.”

Atkinson added the key to restoring parity was that his teammates did not drop their heads, with Stephen Humphrys quickly halving the deficit.

“I saw when the second goal went in for them everyone was disappointed, but you could tell everyone had a fire in their belly,” he said.

“It was still early on in the game, and we had plenty of time to come back and we did that.”

Hearts, who lie in fifth place on the table, return to European action when they travel to Italy to face Fiorentina in Matchday Four of the Europa Conference League.