Stirling Albion 1
Hearts 3

WITH just under two weeks until the new SPL season gets underway George Burley will have to perform major surgery on his Hearts squad if he is to get them beating again in time for a league opener away to Kilmarnock.

When the former Ipswich boss was unveiled as the man to spearhead Vladimir Romanov's Tynecastle revolution a fortnight ago he revealed he was looking to bring in six new faces to the club - and after the weekend's laboured win over Stirling Albion those arrivals can't come soon enough.

For the majority of this pre-season campaign, a 5-1 hammering of Bray Wanderers apart, the Jambos have been far from convincing with Saturday's game against second division Albion no exception.

Burley, pictured below, chose to split his threadbare squad between the game at Forthbank on Saturday and at Berwick Rangers yesterday and the lack of strength and depth on show will have alarmed even the most optimistic of supporters.

Although goals from substitute Saulius Mikoliunas, Icelandic teenager Hjalmar Thorarinsson and Steven Pressley did give the visitors their third win in four pre-season outings, for long spells of the clash it was difficult to tell who the SPL side was.

The lack of arrivals in Gorgie has, of course, not been for the lack of trying with Burton O'Brien and Polish internationalist Marek Saganowksi slipping through the net while a couple of midfield trialists have also been in action over the past few games.

Julien Brellier, a 23-year-old Frenchman who previously had a spell with Italian giants Inter Milan played 76 minutes of Saturday's game against Stirling and also started yesterday's outing against Berwick with a decision on his future expected within the next few days.

However, Belarus internationalist Aleksandr Khatskevic has not done enough to win himself a deal and has now left the Jambos. "We have some good players at the club but we need more," admitted Burley. "I have been a wee bit disappointed with the quality so far and by the time the season comes round there is no doubt we will need more players in.

"We still have a lot of pre-season games, even after cancelling a couple, which is why we split the squad at the weekend and I think you can see from the two teams we are short on players."

On Saturday, Burley played a weaker side to the one that defeated East Fife on Thursday evening although it still contained several well known faces with Craig Gordon resuming in goal after shaking off a groin problem and first team regulars Jamie McAllister, Neil MacFarlane and Joe Hamill all starting the match.

The game also gave fringe players like Jason Thomson, Christophe Berra, Thorarinsson and Calum Elliot the chance to stake a claim for a place in Burley's plans.

However, the first half didn't quite go to plan and Gordon had to look lively to prevent the home side from taking an early lead after 11 minutes when Dougie Wilson got on the end of a Paul Nugent cross only to be denied by Gordon who had raced from his goal and spread himself well. With 20 minutes played Hearts were forced into a change when their already limited attacking options were stretched further as Elliot was forced to hobble off being replaced by Dennis Wyness.

Midway through the first half and the Scotland goalkeeper again showed why he is so highly rated when a David O'Brien shot cannoned off Berra and looped over the advancing goalkeeper's head. The ricochet looked set to give Stirling the lead only for Gordon to back-peddle furiously and acrobatically tip the ball over the bar.

But that fine save didn't deny Stirling for long who had the bit between their teeth and deservedly took the lead with 32 minutes on the clock. Robert Dunn was allowed to run from just inside the Hearts half unchallenged and when he got to within 30 yards of the goal he unleashed a powerful right-foot drive that flew into the top corner of the net leaving Gordon totally helpless. It almost got worse for the Capital club right on the stroke of half-time when a free-kick on the edge of the box was rolled into the path of Stewart Devine who cracked a low 22-yard effort off Gordon's right-hand post.

At the interval Burley was concerned enough by what he had seen to make three switches with Mikoliunas, Lee Wallace and Craig Sives being introduced for Thomson, the ineffectual Hamill and youngster Marco Pelosi. And the changes turned the game for the Jambos who finally began to stamp their authority on play.

With 20 minutes left an inch-perfect through ball from Wyness sent Mikoliunas racing through on Myles Hogarth and after holding off the attention of defender Andrew Graham the Lithuanian showed great composure to shoot across the goalkeeper and into the corner of the net from 14 yards.

Just as the game looked to be petering out for a draw the Jambos grabbed a second goal four minutes from time when a McAllister corner was headed back across goal by man-of-the-match Pressley into the path of Thorarinsson who volleyed home from six yards out.

Pressley then got in on the scoring act himself right at the death when he bulleted an 18-yard header low into the far corner of the net after an outswinging McAllister corner.

And Jambos boss Burley was delighted with the contribution of his captain. "I thought Steven Pressley was outstanding," he said.

"I was very impressed by him and thought he led by example. We are looking for players with his sort of commitment. It was only a pre-season game but he gave everything and that is what I want.

"Pre-season is all about getting fitness and sharpness so overall it was good from that point of view. It was a difficult game at times especially in the first half and that is what we want at this stage. Everybody has had a workout which is what we need."

And Burley also paid tribute to Mikoliunas who came on at the break and played a major part in turning the game in his side's favour.

His future was thought to be in doubt after compatriot Marius Kizys was released over the weekend in order to free up loan spaces for Burley to use to add to his squad. However, after an impressive display it is understood he is now set to remain at Tynecastle

"Mikolinias came back late for pre-season and struggled a bit over the past few games but he looked better on Saturday and that's the sort of improvement we are looking for," said Burley.

"He's got quality but there are still a lot of things he has to work on in his game although he did well on Saturday. We are looking for certain standards at the club so everyone has to improve a little."

With Premiership giants Middlesbrough up next on Wednesday night it will take more than a little improvement.

Taken from the Scotsman