JAMBOS JOY OF SIX FOR HARTLEY

PAUL HARTLEY capped the best week of his career with two goals as Hearts restored their five-point lead at the top of the SPL.

The Jambos demolished Livingston 4-1 at Almondvale to rack up their sixth straight league victory - the first time in 91 years they've started a campaign in such a sensational fashion.

And although they are already eight points clear of champions Rangers and five ahead of Celtic, Kilmarnock and Hibs, Hartley insisted the team isn't getting carried away - even if he knows their ever-growing army of supporters is.

He said: "I don't think anyone thought we'd be sitting atthetopoftheleaguewith six winsinthe first six games but the manager deservesa lot of credit for bringing so manygood players.

"It usually takes a couple of months for players to settle in but a core of Scottish players have helped them.

"We are not getting carried away, although I know the fans are. But they haven't had a lot of success over the years so you can see what it means to them.

"It does put more pressure on us but we are playing well."

Hartley and fellow Scots Craig Gordon, Steven Pressley and Andy Webster played in the midweek World Cup victory in Norway and he was outstanding in the draw against Italy nine days ago.

He admitted that yesterday's win, courtesy of his double and goals from Webster and Rudi Skacel,made this one of the best weeks of his footballing life.

Hartley said:"It's got to be one of the best weeks of my career. To get four points with Scotland then to win like this here is great - not just for me but for the other three Scots boys as well.

"We've got a few English coaches as well, so we've been giving them all kinds of stick.'

Hartley's boss George Burley was equally thrilled with the performance and although he knows clubs in England and abroad will be looking at his players come January, he insists he couldn't care less.

He said: "If I was another manager, I'd be interested in our players. But I'm not worried.We could have lost a couple when I came in but we didn't and the boys are enjoying it here.

"To win six on the trot and score another four goals away from home is magnificent. But we know we are not the finished article and we'd like to improve."

Burley reiterated his desire to keep Skacel, who is on loan from Marseille, on a permanent basis.

He added: "I have spoken to Mr Romanov about this. Hopefully things will progress in that direction."

Livingston manager Paul Lambert tried to take positives out of the match but he knows that falling three goals behind after 30 minutes is suicidal.

But he was delighted with the response of his players and said: "They gave everything and that's the pleasing thing.

"We got back into the game when Paul Dalglish scored just before half-time and if he had scored when clean through early in the second half it would have got very interesting.

"We need to just get one win under our belts and we'll take it from there

Taken from the Daily Record