Albion ace Gary Hart has hit back at claims he over-reacted to get a rival player sent-off.

He insists Burnley defender Arthur Gnohere made contact with a head-butt.

The flashpoint happened early in the second half of last Saturday's clash at Turf Moor.

Frenchman Gnohere was red carded by ref Tony Bates as the Seagulls, 1-0 up at the time, went on to celebrate their return to Division One with a 3-1 victory.

Burnley boss Stan Ternent has turned to the police in the hope of seeing the incident, which was missed in Sky TV's coverage of the match.

Ternent said: "I have had the referee's report and he is saying Arthur deliberately head-butted the player.

"But Arthur remains adamant he didn't do it, so I am trying to sort something out with the police. They have cameras at the game and I will see whether they can show it.

"I have to say it would be very unlike Arthur, as he has never acted that way in the past. I would not say it was in his nature.

"But as it stands, he is going to be banned for three matches, starting against Sheffield United at Turf Moor next Saturday."

Hart said: "I tracked back and made a tackle. He obviously didn't like it, because he said something to me. Just as I was getting up he trod over me.

"I did not say anything bad to him, nothing racist or anything like that because I wouldn't do that.

"All of a sudden he tried to head-butt me. I think he tried to pull out of it, but he tapped me. I didn't go down really holding my face, I just went down and got back up again.

"At the end of the day it's the intent as well and there was slight contact.

"He did connect. It was nothing that was going to do me much harm, but you can't do things like that. It was right in front of the referee and he saw it."

Hart, a forklift truck driver and part-time high flier with Stansted before joining the Seagulls four years ago, has endured a bruising introduction to Division One since recovering from a broken leg at the end of last season.

The embattled right winger needed stitches in a face wound against Coventry on Tuesday.

"I collided with somebody and got a double cut, one above my eye and one below," he said. "I just can't keep out of being injured at the moment.

"But I'm in a good League now and it's a privilege to play in it. You have a lot more time on the ball and you come across some good players."

Matchday coverage of Brighton v Norwich at thisisthealbion