BURLEY MAINTAINS UEFA AMBITION

Hearts manager George Burley maintains qualifying for the UEFA Cup remains the Tynecastle club's priority despite the fact they have opened up a three-point lead at the summit after a 2-0 victory over Aberdeen.

A goal either side of half time from Rudi Skacel and substitute Michal Pospisil secured all three points for Burley's side as they recorded their fourth straight win.

Expectation levels amongst the club's supporters have soared and Tynecastle was again packed for the visit of the Dons.

However, Burley insists they are not getting carried away, claiming it will be a 'tremendous achievement' if they qualify for the UEFA Cup this term.

He said: "When I took the squad to Dublin for pre-season I thought it was going to be a really difficult job but I couldn't be more pleased with the way things have gone.

"We said before the season started that if were to finish third it would be a tremendous achievement.

"It's early stages yet and the league is a marathon not a sprint.

"I still feel the squad is not strong enough if we are looking to improve and push on."

Burley insists the best of new recruits Edgar Jankauskas, Roman Bednar, Pospisil and Skacel is yet to come as their not up to match fitness.

He said: "Jankauskas, Bednar, Pospisil and Skacel did not have a pre-season so they've still to get to full fitness."

Meanwhile, Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood admitted Hearts were deserved winners but intimated he thought they were physically aggressive.

He said: "Two of our central defenders required stitches so what does that say?

"For me, we lost too many personal battles over the park in the second half and Hearts deserved to win.

"We dominated passing the ball from side to side in the first half without really hurting them, we were not getting enough people in the box."

Calderwood insists he is not overly concerned by the fact his team have now fallen eight points behind the Gorgie outfit, with the Dons also harbouring UEFA Cup aspirations.

He said: "There is a long way to go but this result certainly doesn't help.

"I'm still trying to get two more players in and I think that showed on Saturday."

Taken from sportinglife.com