WE DON'T FEAR THE OLD FIRM: BURLEY

Hearts manager George Burley insists his team do not fear the Old Firm after restoring their five-point lead over Celtic at the top of the Bank of Scotland Premier League table.

The Jambos maintained their 100% record this season with a comfortable 4-1 win at Livingston where Paul Hartley struck a double.

Rudi Skacel scored in his sixth successive SPL match, while Scotland defender Andy Webster also headed home.

Livingston striker Paul Dalglish hit a consolation for the home side, who are still looking for their first SPL win of the season.

Hearts are enjoying their best start to a season for 91 years and are also eight points clear of fifth-placed reigning champions, Rangers.

The Tynecastle manager admits his squad still needs some additions to rival the Glasgow giants, but is adamant the Edinburgh side do not fear Celtic and Rangers.

Burley said: "We don't fear (the Old Firm), but we know we are not the finished article.

"There are areas where we've got to get better and I said before the season started that finishing third would be great for us.

"So far, we have done better than anyone could have expected, but there is still a long way to go.

"Our squad is not nearly as strong as Celtic or Rangers, but there is a good spirit and endeavour among the players and they want to keep improving, so you never know what can happen.

"I don't think anyone could have imagined we would have won our first six games.

"But we are a very attacking team, who want to score goals, and that is not going to change."

However, Burley concedes success brings its own pitfalls and the form of Skacel during his year-long loan spell from Marseille will attract the attention of other clubs.

The Czech Republic midfielder has equalled the records of Henrik Larsson and Derek Riordan with his sixth consecutive SPL goal.

The 26-year-old is still some way off former Celtic striker Mark Viduka's record of 10 straight matches.

But the Hearts boss views any interest in his players as a compliment.

Burley said: "I don't know if that is some sort of a record for a midfielder, but Rudi typifies the spirit in the camp in terms of the boys working for each other.

"I don't fear any other clubs coming in for my players and, if I was another manager, I would certainly be interested in some of them.

"We could have lost a couple of players when I first came in, but we didn't.

"The boys are enjoying it here. They are all improving but, as with any club, you can never say never and even Manchester United and Arsenal sell players."

Meanwhile, Livingston player-boss Paul Lambert is refusing to panic after the defeat left his side rooted to the bottom of the SPL with just one point.

He said: "I saw some encouraging signs and that is pleasing.

"I was never a worrier as a player so I'm not going to take it into management because, if you do that, then you start to panic.

"If I ever thought I was not getting a response from the players, then I would panic but they gave me everything they've got today.

"Nobody is pulling away from us, so we are always in with a shout and we will keep going.

"I believe I've got a group of players who are capable of winning football matches."

But the ex-Celtic and Scotland captain insists defensive lapses and an inspired performance by Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon combined to frustrate his team.

Lambert added: "You can't defend the way we are doing.

"You can do all the defending you want in training, but you have got to take it out on to the park on match days.

"For their second goal, Andy Webster headed the ball in from three yards out and you can't defend like that against a team who are going really well at the moment.

"To be fair to Craig Gordon, he made some unbelievable saves from David Mackay and Derek Adams.

"But we have got to stop conceding goals to give ourselves a chance of winning matches."

Taken from sportinglife.com