Kaunas crash hits Vlad hard

VLADIMIR ROMANOV was today having to deal with FBK Kaunas losing out on a money- spinning Champions League tie with Rangers - and the result looks set to have implications for Hearts.

Although Romanov does not own Kaunas he is heavily involved in the running of the club and his UKIO Bankas group provide the major financial backing for the Lithuanian outfit.

After losing 3-1 to FK Zeta of Montenegro in the first leg of their qualifying tie Kaunas looked to be back on track for a lucrative meeting with Rangers on Tuesday night when they raced into a 3-1 lead of their own last night.

However, a last gasp strike for the visitors saw Kaunas crash out 5-4 on aggregate leaving Romanov to ponder his next move.

And the knock-on effect on Hearts looks set to be felt almost immediately with Kaunas' star striker Ricardas Beniusis now poised for a loan switch to Tynecastle.

The 27-year-old has been arguably the best player in the Lithuanian A Lyga this season and he revealed to the Evening News recently that Romanov had told him he would get his chance in Scottish football as soon as Kaunas were eliminated from Europe's premier club competition. This has now happened, perhaps earlier than hoped.

But whether Romanov now decided to make wholesale changes at Kaunas with the possibility of players moving in both directions between Edinburgh and Lithuania will be of most interest to supporters of both clubs.

Meanwhile, Hearts will discover next week whether midfielder Larry Kingston will be free to face Hibs in the opening game of the SPL season.

The Ghanaian, who has been a huge hit since arriving at Tynecastle, will have his appeal over a three-game ban handed out by the SFA heard at a hearing on either Wednesday or Thursday.

Should Hearts' appeal be unsuccessful, Kingston will be forced to sit out the visit of Hibs, as well as matches away to Aberdeen and at home to Gretna.

Hearts will be keeping their fingers crossed that the disciplinary committee finds in their favour, with vice-captain Christophe Berra already suspended.

The Hampden beaks have the power to uphold the original decision, reduce the number of matches Kingston has to serve or even increase his punishment if they deem the original ban was too lenient. It is, however, unlikely they would implement the latter.