Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo fears his side are in for a tough season after they limped to a 1-0 Clydesdale Bank Premier League defeat at Motherwell.

Laszlo bemoaned the lack of experience in his squad after Ross Forbes volleyed the only goal at Fir Park.

Forbes and Giles Coke had both missed good first-half chances and Jim O'Brien and John Sutton had strong penalty claims rejected before the 55th-minute goal as Motherwell dominated.

Hearts did not get a shot on target for 70 minutes and lost Eggert Jonsson for a professional foul after he brought down O'Brien.

The red card sparked the visitors into life but Motherwell held on to consolidate their place in the top six and leave Hearts in eighth place on nine points, alongside Kilmarnock and SPL newcomers St Johnstone.

Laszlo admitted the goal may have been avoided if teenage right-back Craig Thomson had more experience to cut out Yassin Moutaouakil's deep cross, and predicted Hearts could continue to struggle without the January reinforcements he wants.

Laszlo, who was missing the injured Michael Stewart, said: "This season will be very tough for Hearts. I know what I'm talking about.

"If you have so many inexperienced players you will have to play painful games.

"If you win two or three games in this league then you can move up, but before we talk about this we must win.

"You can get into Europe if you win the cup or finish fifth but we must be realistic and between the wish and reality is a big gap.

"This is reality. Maybe in two years, maybe next season, these players will have the experience to win games but we can't wait.

"When we have people like Michael Stewart, Marius Zaliukas and Laryea Kingston out of the team, the young players don't have orientation. They need someone to guide them.

"This is what I'm talking about all the time. But I'm tired of always talking, I will go and do my job the best I can. This is the only thing I can do."

Laszlo's comments did not carry much weight given Hearts lost to a far younger Motherwell side, whose 25-year-old striker John Sutton was the oldest player in their starting XI by several years.

Jim Gannon went with 18-year-olds Shaun Hutchinson and Steven Saunders in central defence and Hutchinson made two brilliant challenges in the final 10 minutes as Hearts threatened a comeback.

"The game seemed to open up and the boys were called on to make those last-ditch recovery tackles with impeccable timing," Gannon said.

"They are great athletes, good footballers and excellent defenders.

"They are two of the elite players at the club and I've every confidence in them. They were immense when they were called upon."