Hearts B boss Steven Naismith assesses progress of his Lowland League youngsters

Steven Naismith says his Hearts B side is continually learning as the majority of his youngsters adjust to playing men’s football for the first time in the Lowland League – and he insists progress is already being made.

The young Jambos fell to their second successive 3-2 loss on Wednesday night as Tranent came from 2-1 behind to win at Ferguson Park following Makenzie Kirk’s first-half double.

That defeat followed on from Saturday’s 3-2 reverse at home to Rangers, and leaves Hearts lying fourth from bottom in the Lowland League standings after 13 games.

"I don’t think we did enough to win the game, but I don’t think we deserved to lose it,” said Naismith. “It’s so frustrating, that’s what I said to the boys, our last three performances have been really good but we have picked up one point. There is a big percentage of our game which is really good, it’s in those small moments that we are losing goals.

Steven Naismith loves the competitive nature that the Lowland League offers

“They have played really, really well in the last three games and to have one point on the back of that isn’t great. We are scoring goals and creating chances.

“At the start of the season that was the problem for us, we weren’t scoring lots of goals after the first game of the season. A lot of our in-possession stuff is really good, out of possession there is good moments as well but it’s those fine margins.

“This is why here [the Lowland League] is the best opportunity for them. It’s a harsh lesson. On the back of some of their performances the boys are scratching their heads ‘How have we been beat there today?’ but that’s real-life football; one moment you can switch off and it costs you.”

Naismith’s side are now without a competitive match until the end of October and he will use the time wisely to analyse recent matches with his players.

He continued: “The rise of the players from the start to the season to now, in terms of how they take on information, how they play, and how our structure is in the game is good – there is progress, and progress is key. Adam Forrester has probably played the last four or five games, and he was an under 18s player at the start of the season, Bobby McLuckie is another one, Callum Sandilands – all those guys were classed as 18s at the start of the season and they have now pushed on into the B team and played regularly, which is an indication that they are doing things right.

“We’ve got a bit of a break now, which could be good for the boys. With our squad being younger, you want time in between games to have that time to look over the video, to go on the training pitch and do tactical stuff; and this gives us a big chunk of time to do that.

“That’s why this league is so good for the players, because they learn that the games are relentless and you need to dig deep and find something within the game – if your performance isn’t at the top level and you don’t feel on top, you need to find something to have a bit of quality or get through the game.”