As Alex Scott bent in a 90th minute corner in front of Section 82 into a packed penalty area, one player wanted to connect with the ball more than anyone else.
Scott’s flighted delivery dipped and whipped in at exactly the right moment, forcing pressure on the defence, with Nahki Wells taking Preston North End goalkeeper Freddie Woodman out of the equation, Rob Atkinson flung himself into the crowd, rocket man-like, stretching his considerable frame to head City towards victory.
It was his second goal of the game and a moment that was essentially inspired by the reaction to his first, a more conventional stooping header at the far post having remained upfield after a set-piece had initially broken down.
The roar from the Ashton Gate faithful and the adrenaline that subsequently surged through his body was, in his own words, “addictive” and replicating that feeling was a huge motivating desire as he left the ground to meet Scott’s delivery.
“I said over there it was one of the best feelings that I've certainly felt in my life,” Atkinson said, with four of his five goals for the club scored in BS3. “It's addictive; you want to keep doing it really and keep hearing that roar and maybe that was the main motivating factor behind the second goal really because I wanted to hear it again.
“Two goals for a centre half is very rare, I wanted a third but I think it was more important to hold on two those three points in the last few minutes so yea I'm absolutely delighted.
“We've had a very rough week. That performance at the weekend wasn't acceptable and it was really important to bounce back at home in front of the fans and we did that right from minute one.
“We had to recall how we felt and what we were like when we were winning those games. What the atmosphere was like and the positivity and that all came today and came together really nicely. I think that was a big factor in the result.”
Atkinson’s goals were the obvious headline-grabber but the centre-back also did his duty in terms of his defensive game, albeit against a Preston North End side offering little consistent attacking threat.
He needed that side to his performance as much as the goals, following what increasingly appears an absolute rollicking in midweek from Nigel Pearson over their performance and defeat at Birmingham City.
On that occasion, Atkinson was as culpable as anyone for how vulnerable the Robins looked at defending set-pieces. With Andy King drafted into the defence at St Andrew’s, there was additional responsibility on Atkinson and Zak Vyner to repel Birmingham’s aerial threat, something they were unable to achieve.
Wednesday, therefore, meant a lot in burying some of those demons and proving something, not just to his manager but also himself.
“You know it's never nice to lose in that manner but it's a good reality check, almost, and brings you back down to earth especially after riding high in those early wins,” Atkinson added. “You have to remind yourself that this is the Championship and this is an incredibly difficult league and there's absolutely no easy games.
“We had to reset and go back to our roots and that's what we did. If we win at the weekend god knows where we'll end up. It's credit to the league. One of the best in the world in terms of its competitiveness.”
Atkinson had a third different centre-back to the right of him on Wednesday, with Kal Naismith remaining injured - who has been a regular presence for 12 matches - and Andy King moving to the bench, the 24-year-old was reunited with Timm Klose.
The two formed a strong connection in the second half of last season and the Swiss proved a reassuring and calming presence precisely when the City defence needed it as the pressure on the performance mounted.
“I love playing with Timm,” Atkinson added. “He's a very calming influence. Different to Naismith. I got flashbacks to the end of last season, how good me, him and (Robbie) Cundy were so it was an absolute honour to play with him and he did really, really well.”
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