BURCHILL BLAST FOR SFA BAN

Hearts striker Mark Burchill believes the Scottish Football Association have been "harsh" on team-mate Saulius Mikoliunas this week.

The Lithuania international received an additional five-match ban on top of a statutory three-game suspension following his altercation with linesman Andy Davis during the stormy encounter with Rangers at Tynecastle on March 2.

The 20-year-old midfielder was sent off twice for barging the linesman and then for foul and abusive language towards referee Hugh Dallas.

As a result of the dismissals, Mikoliunas also went through the 18-point disciplinary barrier to earn a further ban.

The SFA disciplinary committee added a further five matches earlier this week.

But Burchill concedes the suspension will hurt the team significantly as they chase a place in the UEFA Cup.

He said: "I'm not here to tell the SFA what's right or wrong but five games on top of the three seems pretty harsh to me.

"But that is what obviously happens if you push into a linesman.

"Saulius has done brilliantly since he's been here and gives us options Hearts haven't had for the last few years.

"You can give him the ball anywhere on the pitch. He takes players on, causes problems, scores goals and sets them up.

"The fans love him. It shows that foreigner players can come in here and settle very quickly.

"Everyone says they take time but he didn't which shows he has been a good thing for Hearts."

Ironically, the loss of Mikoliunas is likely to help Burchill, who has signed until the end of the season, make a rare start against Livingston at Tynecastle.

The former Celtic forward was struck down by the flu virus which ravaged the club last week but is now looking for an extended run to impress Hearts head coach John Robertson.

Burchill said: "I was one of the worst affected by the flu but I'm feeling better now.

"It was a nightmare and I've never known anything like it in all my time in football.

"I'm still chasing my fitness. I've only started once and come off the bench five or six times.

"So I'm looking for more starts and more goals. Then, hopefully, I will be here next season."

Robertson is still hopeful the 24-year-old can produce the form which tempted him to snap the striker up after he had been released by Portsmouth.

He said: "Mark is a quality player and has shown in training that he's getting fitter and sharper all the time.

"There is no doubt he would have started against Inverness last week if he had been fit.

"But we have got at least nine games left and there are guys who are playing for contracts and that's why we'll be focusing on every single player during every single game for the rest of the season."

In addition to the loss of the banned Mikoliunas, midfielder Paul Hartley also misses the visit of Livingston through suspension.

Taken from sportinglife.com